Thread: Jeff's Shed, You're Joking. But I'll be there anyway.

Still at the showgrounds Lewis - Details

Not according to their website

Details

Details
When: 18, 19 & 20 October 2013

Where: Melbourne Showgrounds, Epsom Road, Ascot Vale
Time: 10am - 5pm, Daily

Straight off the web site, have another look

Lewis is correct, they have just advised everyone of the change it will be back at jeffs shed .

this is the letter

After a lot of deliberation we have decided to take the Melbourne Timber and Working
With Wood Show away from the Melbourne Showgrounds back to its home the
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. (Jeff’s Shed). The decision has been
made after feedback from exhibitors and visitors. Our attendance numbers have
declined every year with the exception of 2010 at the Melbourne Showgrounds. Visitors
were not happy attending the show there and have cited catering, parking, rude staff,
odours left in the hall after the Melbourne Show and transport as their main reasons for not
attending. Over the four years we have tried to overcome all of these problems but have
been unsuccessful. Exhibitors have also reported declining sales. Taking all of these
issues into account we believe it is time to make the move. We have been lucky enough
to also secure the same dates at the new venue MCEC as we had already previously
published 18-20 October 2013

Well I guess that is good for us who come from the south east. However I must say I did enjoy the openness of the show grounds venue.

My only hope is that the organizers actually see an increase in numbers and the exhibitors experience an increase in sales this year.

Originally Posted by Jim Carroll

Lewis is correct

I should never have questioned that Lewis wouldn't be one of the first with the news!

A little harder to take large objects home on the train though. Can imagine carrying a slab of cedar under the arm. :S Although my loot bag is a little smaller than that usually.

Originally Posted by tea lady

A little harder to take large objects home on the train though. Can imagine carrying a slab of cedar under the arm. :S Although my loot bag is a little smaller than that usually.

I would think that carrying a slab on a train is not going to cause too much trouble, after all we are allowed to have our bikes on the train.

Originally Posted by Kev Y.

Well I guess that is good for us who come from the south east.

makes little difference for me as long as they still have some lounge space (and good coffee) for my wife ... will stay back at southbank instead of carleton

Originally Posted by Kev Y.

However I must say I did enjoy the openness of the show grounds venue.

My only hope is that the organizers actually see an increase in numbers and the exhibitors experience an increase in sales this year.

me too to both of those

regards david

Definitely a lot of steps backwards. I stopped going to the show at Jeff's shed ages ago and only came back every year when it went to the Show grounds.

Will have to reconsider going and then only 1 day instead of all three.

Very disappointed with this retrograde step.


Peter.

No we are not joking!! I can't believe you all - cast your memory back to the comments when we were at the showground - in fact just after the last show how many people said they thought it would be the last! We received after every show complaints about the show, getting smaller, no visitors, fewer exhibitors, parking, wrong side of town, catering, the smell,' it was so much better when it was a Jeffs Shed' etc etc etc.

So we make a move - which costs us more (however keeping exhibiting rates the same) - this move has been made because of visitor and exhibitor feedback!! We pride ourselves in our customer service and listening to our clients whether exhibitors or visitors and after four years listening to complaints about the show and the showgrounds and watching our attendances fall despite what we did to address all issues we have made this decision and you start complaining again - we can't win!!! Question has to be asked do you want a show in Melbourne at all???

The website will be changed today!
Liz

Liz,

After each show, since it went to the Showgrounds, I posted in support of being there. I posted that it was spacious, parking was excellent and cheap and if you came early it was close by and if you came later there was a shuttle bus.

Every time I came I found the staff of the showgrounds courteous and willing to assist, I know there was a problem with the disabled parking and that was finally fixed by you.

The only time in those years that some staff member was discourteous was last year when one of your offsiders told my daughter of for taking photos. Which already put her continued coming, and my transport, in doubt.

Now you go to the city. Parking is way too expensive. I haven't got a Myki card and getting one for a 1 day a year use is not an option. Hence no transport.

Even if I could use public transport I would have to walk from Southern Cross station to the building and then a further kilometer to get to the section the woodworking shows were in which unfortunately with my health is not an option.

I hope your vendors will be happy for my $1500 average tool spending at the show with out of town suppliers will discontinue when I don't come.

Peter.

Liz, me thinks you are just a tad over reacting here!

You have a few (very few) negative comments about your move back to Jeffs Shed and you ask the question whether "Melbourne" wants a Wood Show at all?

You make it sound as though you are performing a public service, let's not lose sght of the fact that you, and the people owning/running the Wood Show before you, are doing this as a business venture with the ultimate aim to make a profit.

Nothing wrong in that, it is what makes the world go round.

But let's not portray it as a public service.

A lot of the reasons for declining attendance from both exhibitors and visitors is not related to the venue or the locaton of the venue but to other factors.

Exhibitors are staying away because they can't justify the costs involved, both in direct payments to you and in setting up stands, employment costs etc.

Visitors are staying away because one of the main reasons they used to attend these shows, to gather information and look at new tools etc, has been taken away by rapid access to these on the internet.
With fewer and fewer exhibitors each year, there is less reason to go for visitors, with fewer visitors each year there is less reason to exhibit for the the exhibitors, an ever decreaing downward spiral.

I have attended almost every Wood Show since I moved to Vic, first in the Exhibition Centre (by far the best venue, lots of exhibitors, great atmosphere), then Jeffs Shed (at first still lots of visitors, but never the atmosphere of the Exhibition Centre), then the Showgrounds (still fewer exhibitors but easy to get to, easy and cheap parking).

One of your main problems is not the venue, it is that you are catering to an ageing demographic, competing with lots of other leisure activities and a younger gneration that is more interested in being entertained than in doing things with their hands.

Shooting the messenger will only further alienate your existing target audience and is not the way to grow your business.

Leisure interests come and go and working with wood is not on the top of younger people's list.

PS

Will I go to the Wood Show at Jeffs Shed, yes probably even though every year is looking more like Groundhog Day.

Would I have preferred to go to the Showgrounds, yes definitely.

Did you poll your exhibitors and target audience before making this decision?

Originally Posted by Liz Falloon

Question has to be asked do you want a show in Melbourne at all???


Liz

I presume the decision is made and is not reversible, so that question seems rhetorical.

But to answer it specifically, if the show is at Jeff's shed ( even that nickname is an insult for it reminds me of the premier that ruined the state by selling of public transport and electricity so now we pay too much ) no but yes if at the showgrounds.


Peter.