It’s the age-old question:  Does it make more financial sense to buy or to rent?  The answer, as always, depends on your particular circumstances.  But with the overall economy still less than exuberant, we’ve seen more companies choosing to rent their exhibits rather than buy them.  Here are three scenarios when renting a trade show exhibit is the optimal choice.

1. Your trade-show space varies greatly from show to show.

Let’s say your industry has one giant show every year and lots of smaller shows.  Renting the exhibit for the biggest show can save loads of money, not only by avoiding the investment involved in purchasing a large custom exhibit used just once a year, but also by saving on annual storage and shipping costs.  Plus you achieve maximum flexibility from show to show.

2. You need to change the look of your exhibit frequently.

Perhaps you exhibit at very different markets throughout the year or you have a broad product line.  Interchangeable graphics panels can provide considerable flexibility in your overall look, of course.  But imagine the impact of having your exhibit tailored to each market and each show.  Your display will never look like last year’s model.

3. Your budget won’t allow for a major capital expenditure this year.

Rental exhibits can cost as little as one-fourth of the purchase price of a custom exhibit, including graphics.  With the proper planning, you can use the graphics at more than one show, so that lowers your costs even further.  Typically, a rental exhibit includes everything from the design to the shipping, so you can budget all your costs upfront.  Renting also takes some of the risk out of trying out a new trade show, because you can get a feel for the show before you invest in a more permanent exhibit.  One of our clients wanted to test the waters with a new show, so they rented a 10x30 foot booth.  Their experience was so successful that they moved to a 20x50 booth the following year and decided to use the same rental booth several more times, saving even more on the overall cost.

So what are the BENEFITS of renting a trade show exhibit?

• Cost. The upfront cost of your booth is going to be significantly lower than the cost of purchasing an exhibit.   
• Customization.  Most rental designs are modular in nature so they can be repositioned into the exact layout you need and can be customized for your space from show to show.
• Flexibility. With renting, you can change your design every time. You are not stuck with making a purchased exhibit work for every show.
• No Storage.  Since you do not own the exhibit you do not have to store it anywhere which can be hassle if you do not have the room and need to pay for storage.
• Turnkey Solutions.  Most trade show exhibit providers will ship and set up the exhibit for you as a total solution. Everything will all be taken care of for you.
• Latest Designs. When renting you can take advantage of the latest customized type of designs. You'll never be stuck with a continual out-of-date design.

As a result of the changing economics of trade show displays, we’ve expanded our rental exhibit inventory to accommodate greater demand for rental options from client companies of all sizes.  You can check out our rental exhibit inventory online or call us.  We’ll be happy to talk over your options and help you determine whether renting or purchasing your next exhibit offers the best return on your investment.