I went today and was disappointed.

I found most vendors either out of their booths or sitting talking on their cells or reading. I was there for about 45 minutes. I walked several times through the tent and looked at the Koi to be judged.

I stopped by one booth and asked about a vortex filter and the man was short with me as he was busy talking with another vendor and seemed put out.

Not one vendor acknowledged me even when I stopped to study their products.

I found the show vendors to be cliquish.They only spoke with people they recognized.
Many vendors were just going through the motions.....

I was there around 4:00 p.m.

I gave up by 4:45 and left.

I will say there were some absolutely gorgeous Koi represented. The Koi did not disappoint.

I am sorry you had such a bad impression of the koi show, especially the vendors. I was in and out of the vendor tent all day because I was helping a friend who was a koi vendor there. I saw only one instance of a vendor who was sitting around reading all day. And that was the only one. Our (my Friend's booth) was packed off and on most of the day with customers. When there was no customers looking at fish, we all collapsed into chairs from the exhaustion of the day. No vendor is going to stand in the isles and try to draw customers in, but I rarely ever see a vendor ignore a potential customer either. It happens, but at this show it was only one vendor. I was mostly at the front end of the tent though, and the one vendor who I am aware of was at the back end. I don't know what else was going on down there. The front end of the tent was very busy with customers all day. I have been to a LOT of koi shows, mostly as a exhibitor and a customer and I always end up spending a lot of time chatting with the different vendors. I have never found them to be cliquish.

By that tome of day, vendors may seem stand-offish, only because they are exhausted from dealing with customers all day. I'll give you an example. My friends were selling some tiny koi for $3 each. She spent at least an hour picking out his 20 or so teeny fish. He was happy and left. A few minutes later, he returned with his wife. She didn't like one of the yellow koi he had picked out. So my fiend opened the bag, picked out the offending yellow fish and asked the lady to select another one. 15 minutes later, wanna guess which one she picked? The SAME KOI she had rejected only a short while before. After a long day with customers like that, you are exhausted beyond belief.

Like I said, I am sorry you didn't enjoy this show. It is really one of my favorites though. The quality of the vendors, the quality and number of the show fish, and the host club are all beyond outstanding.

Thanks Cindy for responding.
I respect your opinion and I see how it looks from your side with everyone already knowing you. My viewpoint is from the customer side.

I would have bought the filter on the spot if it were not for the vendor's attitude.

Even my husband who has never met a stranger commented on how "standoffish" everyone was. Not one person even said hello. We initiated every conversation.

Granted there was a loud concert nearby but to ignore customers that potentially would buy is not a good way to do business.

I own my own business and do trade shows quite a few times a year. I was surprised at the lack of motivation of the vendors.

I do not care how tired you are as a vendor but at least greet and acknowledge someone that enters your booth. No one did.