Buying used trade show displays can be a very cost effective way of getting a great exhibition stand and saving you a lot of money in the process.

The average saving is estimated to be at least half the cost of a new trade show booth and in some cases could be as much as 90%. Inevitably there are some modifications and rebranding needed and these costs have to be factored in. When the marketing budget is already tightly stretched, economising on the stand itself frees-up money to spend elsewhere to maximise return on investment.

When thinking of buying used trade show displays, you need to go into the process with an open mind. Having hard and fast rules about the exact specification or model you want could make your search protracted and may not result in you getting the best deal. Instead, start out by writing a list of the features you need from your stand. You need to think about the size, flexibility of reconfiguring the design, graphics panel sizes, portability and so on. Then use this list whilst you are browsing through used trade show booths for sale and it will help you to short-list or eliminate possibilities very quickly.

Absolute bargains can be obtained if you buy a display with missing components. If you can source replacement parts and factor in this additional cost or work out how to reconfigure the stand to eliminate the need for the missing part, you can get a really great stand for an extremely low price. Used Pop Up Displays often fall into this category because of missing panels. You will want to replace graphics anyway so this is really not an issue.

Agree a budget before you start looking and make sure that you adhere to this closely. Allow extra for any repairs or refurbishment required and a sum of money that you ring fence for the provision of new graphics for the stand. Don’t be afraid to haggle! If the stand is still a current model, it is easy to find the retail price you would have to pay for a new one. Factor in any ‘perks’ you would get if buying new and then work backwards from this. Start low – you can always raise your offer but if the buyer accepts your offer straight away, you could probably have got the stand for less and by then, it is too late!

Look online at sites like EXHIBITTRADER.COM or even eBay to start your search. Once you have decided on the used trade show booth you want to buy, do a little research before you take the buying process forward. You need to know where you can get the refurbishment done and the designing and printing of the graphic elements of the stand. If you look at a site like Exhibittrader.com, they publish The Network on their site. This is a vendor network directory which helps you to find companies near to your business location that will be able to help you with all aspects of getting your stand refurbished and even transporting it for you. Making sure all this is in place before you part with your Dollars for a pre-owned stand can save you a lot of headaches.

Of course if you already have a trade show display stand that you want to replace, you could sell this too and offset this against the cost of your replacement stand. Selling your old stand not only saves you the cost of continued storage or disposal but it is also a very environmentally-friendly way of doing business. Refurbishing used trade show displays saves resources as well as money which is a definite plus for companies proud of their green credentials. Look online for companies that will help you sell your old stand, list it on eBay or go back to your original dealer who may offer a buy-back scheme (as they will refurbish and re-sell the stand to a new customer), although this is not likely to be the most profitable way of disposal, it is certainly the most hassle-free and quick.