Almo Kicks Off Expo Series in New Jersey
Dealers from around the Eastern region had the chance to view new products and get some how-to training this week at Almo’s Mid-Atlantic Expo. The two-day event, held in Cherry Hill, N.J., was the first of four scheduled this summer.
In an exclusive interview with Dealerscope, Almo’s president and COO Warren Chaiken called the event a success.
The event drew around 240 attendees, Chaiken said.
“The turnout has been very positive for us, and the dealers we asked to come from near and far have come to the show,” he said. “They’re interested in looking for new opportunities, and education, that’s what we’ve presented them.
The dealers, Chaiken added, “are looking for ways, as smart business people, to grow their business. This isn’t a buying show, it’s an education show, from the different seminars we handle to the dealers talking to our vendor partners. And that’s really the key to what we want to do. And so far, it’s been very much a success.”
The event featured between 35 and 40 exhibitors, Chaiken said, “everything from small accessories to major appliances.”
The show floor included large TV displays from Samsung, Sharp, Elite, Panasonic, Magnavox and Seiki. Accessories and other smaller products were on hand from Audio-Technica, Chief, Coby, Garmin, Jawbone, Monster, Motorola, Nikon, Peerless, Sanus and Pioneer. And appliance exhibitors included Bosch, Cuisinart, Frigidaire, GE, Kitchenaid, and Waste King.
Attendees were treated to product demos and training sessions from Samsung, Sharp, Panasonic and Fridgidaire. In the Samsung session, trainer Ryan Chicoine shared that the manufacturer has gotten “all very positive results” from its recently instituted unilateral pricing policy.
“We’re taking price out of the picture- we want everybody to make money,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the Panasonic sessions the trainers touted their current TVs as “the best TVs we’ve ever made in the history of the company,” and stated that the company looks forward to putting them up against the new OLED TVs being prepared by Samsung and LG.
