PC Show 2006 Report

Went to the PC Show at Suntec and as usual it was crowded as heck at 1.30pm

Anyways, just some random observations on why HALF of Singapore decides to make their quarterly pilgrimage to Suntec to squeeze into a room with a whole bunch of sweaty and grumpy people.

1) Media Hype - About a week before the show, the newspapers hype up the whole event by telling everybody about all the great bargains you can get at the show etc... So before the first day, everybody is near death with anticipation.

2) The Great Singapore Sale - Fantastic timing, the PC Show is held just when everybody is in the "MUST BUY BECAUSE IT'S THE GSS!!!" mood.

3) Crowds Attract Crowds - It's pretty strange but I find that crowds attract crowds. I'm sure some people went to Suntec not with the intention of buying anything but just followed the crowd to the PC Show to "check it out."

4) Clever Advertising - Not everything at the PC Show is being sold at discounts. They just MAKE you think you're getting a good deal by printing prices on huge neon banners to make you think that you're getting what you're buying at a discount.

5) Girls - What's a skimply clad girl got to do with Epson printers? Don't ask me... I swear some people head to the PC Show just for the girls.

6) Family Outing - Some parents think that pushing their kids in a stroller amongst thousands of people makes a good family outing. For goodness sake, leave your kids at home.

7) Everything Under One Roof - One good thing about such shows is that it's easier to compare pricing / specs of products. Just walk over to another brand's booth to find out more (Providing you manage to actually walk through the crowds though).

8) Brand Competition - As the days wear on, prices start getting slashed and more freebies get thrown in to attract buyers. If you want, you can hang around till one hour before closing to experience the chaos first hand.

9) The Buying Frenzy - When everybody around you is buying something you're somehow urged to buy something as well. Pretty strange.

-----

Tips for surviving similar PC Shows

1) Take leave on a weekday and wait at the door before it opens. Then rush in, do your shopping and get the heck out before the lunch crowd surges in.

2) Leave your kids in strollers at home for goodness sake.

3) Computer accessories (Keyboard, mouse etc...) are probably selling at the same price elsewhere. Not much of a point squeezing in the crowd for small ticket items.

-----

Don't ask me why I wanted to type this all out. I guess I was bored...