TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN)—The Splendor’s last-minute decision to participate in Taichung Bike Week opened up more space for the mini-show’s exhibitors. But some wondered whether it was worth the trouble, given the less-than-splendid amount of traffic. (Click on story title then PDF link next to title to view Taichung Bike Week PDF newsletter Day 3).
“My boss flew the roost and took a bunch of his business cards over to the other hotels,” said George Tzeng, who was representing Gigapower, an OEM supplier of brake shoes and pads. “‘You can’t just sit here and die’—that’s what he said.”
Rotor Bike Components closed its door and left product materials and business cards on a table outside, along with a handwritten note asking potential customers to leave their business cards.
Tzeng, who was set up in the hallway amid the 15 hotel rooms occupied by exhibitors, said he has spoken to only about 10 people a day for the first three days. He’s hoping that future Bike Week exhibitors will be divided evenly among the three participating hotels—the Splendor, the Tempus and the Evergreen—so everyone gets equal exposure. The Evergreen and Tempus sit almost across the street from one another, while the Splendor is a five-minute walk away.
Elsa Lin of DK City, a Taichung supplier of e-bike kits, said she thinks the Taichung city government should do more to promote Bike Week locally. “There are many suppliers who still don’t know about the show,” Lin said, standing in her empty hotel room. She reported seeing only about five people walk in each day on Monday and Tuesday.
The Splendor has been part of Bike Week in the past, but didn’t reach an agreement with event organizers to participate this year until about two weeks ago, after organizers had already sent out some of the promotional materials.
Lin, like most of the exhibitors at the Splendor, acknowledged that she waited until the last minute to sign up for Bike Week. Next year she’ll plan further ahead to get space at the more heavily trafficked hotels. Lin also said DK City’s product line may not have been the best fit for Bike Week. “Most of the visitors here are looking for bike parts and accessories, not for e-bikes,” she said.
Others were happy just to get a foot in the door at the fast-growing Bike Week. S-Sun Enterprise, a Taichung-based light company, is trying to kick-start its OEM business. It made a last-minute decision to attend Bike Week, said the company’s Yannick Pu, standing in front of a table of blinking lights set up in the company’s hotel room.
Pu took a more upbeat view of the situation. Even if few potential customers found their way to S-Sun, a single lead on a major OE client could lead to big opportunity. Pu said he was hoping to meet with a Trek product manager on Tuesday. “It’s a chance. We’re here looking for the chances,” Pu said.
And if you could land that important meeting, the slower pace at the Splendor could actually work in your favor, said Even Wang of Airborne Bike Accessories. “Here you have more privacy and more quiet. Customers can feel more comfortable meeting in here,” she said.
Click on story title then PDF link next to title to view Taichung Bike Week PDF newsletter Day 3.
—Nicole Formosa
nformosa@bicycleretailer.com
