I'm torn on that thought Terry. I still think that trade shows should be exclusive to the dealers. I'm sure there is much to be gained from the reactions of the buying public, but the manufacturers are aiming a different "pitch" to their dealers, and it would be difficult to set up two pricing schedules and have to "police" the crowd for who's who. Even with ID badges, you could never tell who was getting inside info.

A a former dealer myself, I like the idea of having a closed show, and if you are lucky enough to have a pal in the biz ...... you can always "sneak in" (with an invitation)and get a preview anyway.

The face of retail is changing so fast since the internet, it's hard to keep up with the new rules. We'll all just ride this out and see where it ends up. It'd be a shame if the Mom & Pop stores fall to the big box stores.