Expo feedback

[hilly]

Since the Hawkesbury expo was so packed, do you guys think we as a herp community need more expos? Or is the expo calendar too packed already?
What would you like to see at expos that you haven't seen so far? More/less of anything?
Should they be earlier/later in the year?
Any feedback is appreciated, and you're more than welcome to PM me if you don't want to make your suggestion public for any reason.

 

[Pamahu]

WE NEED MORE EXPOS!! :lol:

I'm Kicking myself in the shins this year as i missed both the Castle Hill and Hawkesbury Expos.
Though i personally would like to see another 2 Sydney Shows in the calendar. Maybe have 4 shows spaced out through out the year. But keeping in mind you dont want on to close to Christmas.
My thinking is that the Castle Hill and Hawkesbury expos are fairly close to one another at the start of the year, which leaves the rest of the year open for any future expos.
I may not have really thought it through as i havent seen the other time tables for expos in NSW.

 

[Ramsayi]

We already have enough expos,any more I think would impact on what we already have as far as having available animals etc.Castle Hill,Hawkesbury,Illawarra and Newcastle between them seem to have all areas covered.Timing of all the expos seem to work in well with each other which helps.

 

[Sezzzzzzzzz]

Is there any reason that they are all so close together time wise? is it because of the availability of hatchy's at that time of the year?

 

[Ground_Level]

Is there any in canberra ??? or close to canberra ?

 

[bk201]

Was hard to get close to some seller table's so many people crowding around asking "do i need a license to buy?" and a few people selling things and saying "contact me when your license comes through and we can do the paperwork"

I did like the expo's though found some things i been looking for some of for a while, just takes forever to get through all the non licensed people to see what's for sale then get the sellers attention to actually get something.

 

[dragonboy69]

If we could have DECC or whatever they call them selves now, have a stall at all future ecpos so the people that don't have a license could apply through their booth. If they can't make it just some running a both to do the dame thing. Just a suggestion. Because if you apply online you get your licence no straight away is what I've been told.

 

[GeckPhotographer]

I'd like a Central Coast Expo as most of the Sydney ones are in outer Sydney where it is harder to get to and I end up missing the SOFAR expo every year due to another annual commitment.
I think a central coast would have a lot of potential, there are a fair few people on the central coast and it is an easy travel distance from both Sydney and Newcastle. I don't think increasing expo amount will make expos less packed, in fact probably the opposite as people tend to like coming to as many expos as they can not just the one and a new expo will get more new people interested it just increases the amount of people coming.

 

[Tinky]

If we could have DECC or whatever they call them selves now, have a stall at all future ecpos so the people that don't have a license could apply through their booth. If they can't make it just some running a both to do the dame thing. Just a suggestion. Because if you apply online you get your licence no straight away is what I've been told.

DECC have always maintained a stand at the SOFAR Expo, and hand out licence aplication forms, (as well as making sure we are following the rules).

I will say it a thousand times...Bring your licence to the Expo. Not just the number, but your actual licence.

Personally I am happy that the DECC do not grant licences on the spot. Discourages noobs from impulse buying of reptiles, without havening any idea of how to look after a reptile.

See ya at SOFAR.

 

[SteveNT]

Said it before....we dont have ANY expos here, but the bush is LOADED!

 

[Heelssss]

Should get all NSW regions together and do an annual expo at homebush arena.

charge $20 entry. if buy a reptile you get a $10 refund! if not then $20 bucks for roaming around aint that bad.

I dont like the idea of 'on the spot licencing either'.

 

[Erebos]

What about one near Canberra?


Cheers Brenton

 

[saximus]

Should get all NSW regions together and do an annual expo at homebush arena.

charge $20 entry. if buy a reptile you get a $10 refund! if not then $20 bucks for roaming around aint that bad.

They did that for the last Sydney Frog and Reptile Expo before it went to the Easter Show. It was really good

I think the crowds are just an unfortunate side effect of the growing interest in our hobby. It does suck that there is so little space around the breeder's tables but at the same time, expanding it wouldn't really help because there is still only one or two people at the tables who can only deal with one person at a time. All expanding would do is increase the number of people who can crowd around a table and then increase the number of thefts that can occur.

I'd love to see them go over a couple of days. Then breeders and sellers would have twice as much contact time with just the single cost of transporting all their stuff there.

 

[killimike]

It seems to come up in most feedback threads, the issue of people coming to expos and not yet having a licence is one to think about IMHO.

Getting new people in is important, but I confess I was a bit annoyed a few times at the people who obviously couldn't buy, but were crowding out stalls anyway. If we wanna capitalise on their interest and get them into the hobby, there has to be a better way. Any chance of OEH having a stall there where they can process licence applications? I think this would be a great move for an expo, even if the expo had to shoulder the cost of the staff to be there, or something similar.

Any impulse buy deterrent value the licencing system has is illusory IMHO, people will find a way around. Buy an exotic or native off licence, do like someone said (and I also heard twice myself on Sunday) and fudge the paperwork. It's also not the purpose of the licence, responsible selling is a burden that should be shouldered by sellers, not as an unintended minor benefit of licencing. I don't know why so many people laude the delays and hassles in the licencing system....

 

[saximus]

How about asking to see a licence before entry and allow only licenced people access to the breeders for the first part of the day?

 

[killimike]

How about asking to see a licence before entry and allow only licenced people access to the breeders for the first part of the day?

I like the idea for purely selfish reasons But I think when it comes down to it that it would be a bit too alienating for non-licenced people. It would surely put some off from attending, and that would drive door takings down... I don't have a better answer tho. I still wonder if on the day licencing is a possibility.

 

[Red-Ink]

At least you guys get multiple expos in NSW... we need another one south of the border I think.

 

[saximus]

I like the idea for purely selfish reasons But I think when it comes down to it that it would be a bit too alienating for non-licenced people. It would surely put some off from attending, and that would drive door takings down... I don't have a better answer tho. I still wonder if on the day licencing is a possibility.

There is still plenty to see apart from the breeders tables though. Like someone else mentioned, with on the day licencing you are going to get lots of impulse buys which wouldn't be good for the animals who get neglected six months down the track. I don't know if you remember but I had a chuckle at the pair of gents who walked past while we were chatting because they were talking about how if they bought something on the day it would be purely on impulse which wasn't smart. I don't think a 10 year old kid would have the same mentality unfortunately

 

[Ramsayi]

I don't agree with licenses being able to be issued on the spot as impulse buying in a lot of cases would impact badly on those animals that were purchased under those circumstances.I should be remembered that expos help grow our hobby and are not run just for the purpose of buying and selling.

 

[Heelssss]

How about asking to see a licence before entry and allow only licenced people access to the breeders for the first part of the day?

Saximus you are brillant!!! great idea, or put a huge sign upon entry that you must hold a"REPTILE licence" to purchase. in saying that, At castle hill expo a breeder mention licence & this guy said "yes ive got a drivers licence!" hmmm