Have you ever heard the saying, “you get what you pay for”? Just because you saved money, doesn’t mean you got the best deal. For example, if you found a used car for a great price, it could end up costing you more to repair the car than you actually paid for it.

If you are shopping for a new trade show display, the price may be important to you, but should not be the only factor you take into consideration when making your purchase decision. Instead, do your research on several vendors to determine which one will be the best fit for you. Before you decide which trade show booth vendor to work with, keep these 5 criteria in mind.

1.Speed of Response

If it takes what feels like an eternity to get a response back after you have attempted to call or email them, this could be a glimpse of how they run their business. Having a vendor you can depend on is critical, especially since you will most likely need your booth on a specific date. If they take their sweet time responding to your questions, concerns, or comments, I would be concerned on whether or not they take their time designing your booth.

2.Location the Booths are Manufactured

Display booths that are manufactured in other countries, such as China, will generally be less expensive because of low labor and materials costs. However, booths made from Chinese materials tend to be much less durable than materials that are manufactured in the United States. Not only are high-quality materials used, but the product also takes less time and money to ship.

3.The Variety of Products Available

Having a wide variety of products to choose from will give you plenty of options to choose from based on your needs. So choosing a vendor that has many different sizes, shapes, and designs to choose from is much more favorable than one that only offers a couple of different styles.

4.Product Knowledge

If you are a first-time exhibitor, you probably will have some questions for the trade show booth company. Hiring a company to design your exhibit that can’t even answer the simplest questions can be a huge red flag. The company you decide to work with should be able to provide the answers to all of your questions, while also providing enough information to help you make an educated purchase decision.

5.Schedule a Time to Meet with the Vendor

You will invest a great deal of time and money into the booth, so it’s imperative to know who the people are that are designing your exhibit outside of phone calls and emails. Schedule a time to either meet them face-to-face or, if they are not located near you, suggest having a Skype interview. This will give you an idea of how professional they appear to be. Also, if they are late for the meeting, who knows if they will deliver your booth in a timely manner. Scheduling this meeting will help calm your nerves and put your mind at ease.

Along with these 5 tips, do your research online to see what reviews you can find from previous customers. You are sure to find the perfect company to work with if these ideas are followed. Best of luck in finding the ideal vendor for your needs!