U.S. Government Shutdown Hits Several CES Exhibitors Hard

[btarunr]

The ongoing 2018-19 U.S. Government Shutdown has had a direct impact on CES 2019, with many exhibitors, including American companies, rendered unable to execute their CES strategies for the year. Several companies we interacted with today, with whom we had scheduled appointments weeks ahead to visit their showfloor or private-suite exhibitions, either had nothing to show us (substituted in the last minute with existing products bought off stores), or they had far fewer exhibits than they expected to put out.

The U.S. Government shutdown has caused severe delays in U.S. Customs and Border Protection clearing imports of CES exhibit samples and prototypes, even for American companies trying to get their unreleased product prototypes into the country from offshore manufacturing sites across Asia. SeaSonic USA, a respectable power supply manufacturer, was completely stripped of samples, with all their exhibits held up in customs. Some companies like Alphacool managed to get some of their exhibits through well in time. We're hearing similar horror-stories from several manufacturers.

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[Xzibit]

So waiting for the last minute to import is a horror story. More like bad planning. Should have shipped your display products before christmas

I just find it funny these companies can book a booth or a suite months in advance but importing their products in a timely manner is so hard.

 

[btarunr]

So waiting for the last minute to import is a horror story. More like bad planning. Should have shipped your display products before christmas

I just find it funny these companies can book a booth or a suite months in advance but importing their products in a timely manner is so hard.

They shipped their stuff around the same dates they've been shipping for the past three decades. In fact past editions of CES were closer to Xmas/NY than this year's edition.

You can book a hotel suite well in advance, but there must be someone in Vegas to receive and hold onto your stuff without leaking it.

 

[Deleted member 158293]

Yeah, completely the vendors fault for not getting their new products or prototypes in time!

 

[Steevo]

So waiting for the last minute to import is a horror story. More like bad planning. Should have shipped your display products before christmas

I just find it funny these companies can book a booth or a suite months in advance but importing their products in a timely manner is so hard.

As a vendor required to do booth setup its not that easy, and I imagine its that much more difficult with a fast paced product like consumer electronics, where the final design may not be known until a few weeks before the event. We usually book after the show ends so we are booked for next year, and we usually end up with a 3 month time line which gets changed numerous times, and then once things are in its a dance with the carpets, electrical, table and chairs, etc....

Its not that easy.

 

[Xzibit]

They shipped their stuff around the same dates they've been shipping for the past three decades. In fact past editions of CES were closer to Xmas/NY than this year's edition.

You can book a hotel suite well in advance, but there must be someone in Vegas to receive and hold onto your stuff without leaking it.

As much as i like me some SeaSonic PSUs. They have a office in California about 1hr away from Las Vegas. How hard would it have been for them to ship it there and have it held if need be.

As a vendor required to do booth setup its not that easy, and I imagine its that much more difficult with a fast paced product like consumer electronics, where the final design may not be known until a few weeks before the event. We usually book after the show ends so we are booked for next year, and we usually end up with a 3 month time line which gets changed numerous times, and then once things are in its a dance with the carpets, electrical, table and chairs, etc....

Its not that easy.

CES doesnt change. Once they announce dates bookings submissions are available. your submitting for a known date. If the product isnt finished or failed to get there on time how is it anyone elses fault.

I can understand the added time to import but that still comes down to poor planning. Its not like there wasn't a lead up to a possible government draw down for weeks.

 

[R-T-B]

CES doesnt change.

Indeed, only politics do. The shutdown has several things running at a snails pace this year. That's not a political comment as i'm not levying blame to either side, it just does.

God help you if you ever have to travel through SeaTac during a shutdown, for example.

 

[Xzibit]

Indeed, only politics do. The shutdown has several things running at a snails pace this year. That's not a political comment as i'm not levying blame to either side, it just does.

God help you if you ever have to travel through SeaTac during a shutdown, for example.

It started Dec 22 though. If your importing after that your already cutting it close to the opening not to mention the lead up.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Yet another cautionary tale about "putting all of your eggs in one basket." *cough*Murphy's Law*cough*

 

[R-T-B]

It started Dec 22 though. If your importing after that your already cutting it close to the opening not to mention the lead up.

True, I'll grant that. But cutting it close often gives more prep time to prepare a product. Without knowing the full extent of reasons, I'd be hessitant to pull the "stupid" card.

 

[Assimilator]

If the product isnt finished or failed to get there on time how is it anyone elses fault.

Cool, so Amazon should do away with shipping dates for products and just say "it'll get to you when it gets to you lol".

How do you think that would affect everyone who has to plan to be available to handle those products through the various stages of delivery?

Cripes, your "argument" is so moronic it barely even merits replying to.

 

[R-T-B]

Honestly, I feel it was pretty stupid. All you need to do is watch an episode of "The Aprentice" and you'd know a shutdown for as long as he can was inevitable at the first sign of conflict.

 

[TheLostSwede]

So waiting for the last minute to import is a horror story. More like bad planning. Should have shipped your display products before christmas

I just find it funny these companies can book a booth or a suite months in advance but importing their products in a timely manner is so hard.

Sounds like you've done a lot of trade shows, not...
You clearly have no idea how it works with shipping and receiving goods even.
Trade shows have VERY strict shipping times and the goods can't arrive before the set deadlines, or it's not accepted.
If you ship to a hotel, you can only ship it there a few days before you arrive and they charge mega bucks in the US for you to receive packages there, as they charge a percentage of the value of the package.
So no, this is not bad planning, it's limitations imposed by the trade shows.

 

[Assimilator]

Sounds like you've done a lot of trade shows, not...
You clearly have no idea how it works with shipping and receiving goods even.
Trade shows have VERY strict shipping times and the goods can't arrive before the set deadlines, or it's not accepted.
If you ship to a hotel, you can only ship it there a few days before you arrive and they charge mega bucks in the US for you to receive packages there, as they charge a percentage of the value of the package.
So no, this is not bad planning, it's limitations imposed by the trade shows.

What do you expect from Trump supporters, aka the party of anti-experts who assume that their lack of knowledge about anything actually means they know everything?

 

[Xzibit]

Sounds like you've done a lot of trade shows, not...
You clearly have no idea how it works with shipping and receiving goods even.
Trade shows have VERY strict shipping times and the goods can't arrive before the set deadlines, or it's not accepted.
If you ship to a hotel, you can only ship it there a few days before you arrive and they charge mega bucks in the US for you to receive packages there, as they charge a percentage of the value of the package.
So no, this is not bad planning, it's limitations imposed by the trade shows.

The only company named has a office less then 2hr away (with traffic) that could receive such items. That office would have been aware of any additional delays to the chain.

Looks pretty spacious.

Heck they could have just walked to the DHS booth #1401 where U.S. Customs reps are there. I'm sure he would have looked around and said, Others don't seam to have that problem.

 

[btarunr]

The only company named has a office less then 2hr away (with traffic) that could receive such items. That office would have been aware of any additional delays to the chain.

Looks pretty spacious.

Heck they could have just walked to the DHS booth #1401 where U.S. Customs reps are there. I'm sure he would have looked around and said, Others don't seam to have that problem.

As someone else mentioned, tradeshow prototypes are developed and refined upto mere hours before a trade-show. Remember those motherboards with shunt wires sticking out and no heatsinks? Nobody would waste time putting them around in a local R&D facility when the prototyping is done at an offshore factory. Companies who have been exhibiting for the past 3 decades and who intend to sell their products to both liberals and conservatives, would never blame their CES problems on an ongoing political shitshow. Except when that is the truth.

 

[Xzibit]

As someone else mentioned, tradeshow prototypes are developed and refined upto mere hours before a trade-show. Remember those motherboards with shunt wires sticking out and no heatsinks? Nobody would waste time putting them around in a local R&D facility when the prototyping is done at an offshore factory. Companies who have been exhibiting for the past 3 decades and who intend to sell their products to both liberals and conservatives, would never blame their CES problems on an ongoing political shitshow. Except when that is the truth.

I'm just failing to see how only certain company have issues. You just named Seasonic which is based in taiwan but so are so many others that presented there and some are giving Keynotes. Why isnt affecting those who likely have the biggest displays and exhibits along with amount of vast products to showcase.

If you look at CES 2019 exhibitors "Seasonic" is not there. Neither is Alphacool. Which brings up the question. If they aren't officially part of CES 2019 how can the story or headline be correct ?

 

[XXL_AI]

land of the free, home for the brave uh, "Good luck, America! You're on your own! "George Carlin

 

[metalslaw]

As the delay became obvious, why couldn't they just put a few) people on a plane, with their xx number of prototypes, shipping from place of manufacture, to the location of CES?

A few plane tickets, with excess baggage isn't that much if you have to have something there in time, and normal methods aren't working.

 

[btarunr]

As the delay became obvious, why couldn't they just put a few) people on a plane, with their xx number of prototypes, shipping from place of manufacture, to the location of CES?

A few plane tickets, with excess baggage isn't that much if you have to have something there in time, and normal methods aren't working.

Bringing unreleased/unfamiliar electronics into the US with you isn't easy. You must go through red channel and get quizzed for hours, after waiting for hours more, despite import papers. Especially in Vegas, a lot of dumbasses bring excess cash/bullion/gems, etc. It's a busy customs area. Companies don't want to put their employees (especially higherups in marketing) through this. They ship it across Fedex/UPS overnighters at whatever cost, while there's someone at Vegas to receive it.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

They ship it across Fedex/UPS overnighters at whatever cost, while there's someone at Vegas to receive it.

That's always Russian Roulette in terms of getting screened by customs and they know that. They took a gamble on their packages not getting screened and lost.

Customs workers are still required to show up for work but they're doing so without pay (presumably will get backpay when the shutdown ends). I can't find any source that says customs screening of packages has been affected in anyway. I smell a scapegoat.

 

[alexander brett]

Sounds like you've done a lot of trade shows, not...
You clearly have no idea how it works with shipping and receiving goods even.
Trade shows have VERY strict shipping times and the goods can't arrive before the set deadlines, or it's not accepted.
If you ship to a hotel, you can only ship it there a few days before you arrive and they charge mega bucks in the US for you to receive packages there, as they charge a percentage of the value of the package.
So no, this is not bad planning, it's limitations imposed by the trade shows.

Most commenters on any internet forum know almost nothing about anything other than the specs of their computer and what the inside of their hovel looks like.

land of the free, home for the brave uh, "Good luck, America! You're on your own! "George Carlin

Word. (for non-Americans "Word." means damn straight, true dat, amen, yup yup, mmhmm.

 

[Xzibit]

Most commenters on any internet forum know almost nothing about anything other than the specs of their computer and what the inside of their hovel looks like.

Yup. Like being part of CES. The Mirage Hotel Suite where these companies named are located and hosting media isn't part of CES.

You can check CES website for all the exhibitors and their locations.