Adler Display E-Newsletter - Volume 2 - Issue 3 - Renting Vs. Purchasing Tradeshow Displays

Do The Math!

10 x 10 Rental vs Purchase | 10 x 20 Rental vs Purchase

When it’s time to make your final decision between renting vs. purchasing, start with the math. That is, determine the purchase costs vs. the rental fees of a suitable trade show display.

The up-front cost of purchasing a trade show display costs between $6,000 (for a simple 10 x 10 booth) to $150,000 (for a 30 x 40 booth with all of the bells and whistles). A purchased trade show exhibit will come in pristine condition and can be kept in good shape for many years with your good care.

A rental trade show display costs anywhere between $150 and $2,000 per day. Additionally, you will need to factor in a budget amount for graphics and shipping.

In order to determine which option is best for you, determine the number of shows at which you intend to use the trade show display. Multiply your rental costs by the number of days you intend to use the trade show display, and compare this figure to the purchase price.

10 x 10 Rental vs. Purchase

For example, let's say you display at 4 shows a year averaging a total of 5 days each, and you need a 10 x 10 pop-up trade show display that rents for $150 a day. Total rental cost for all 20 days is $3,000 (transportation and graphics fees not included.)

Total purchase price is $6,000. In this scenario it would take approximately 2 years to recover your investment in a purchased display, which is why renting might be the right option for you.

Display Type	Price	No. of Days	Year One Budget	Year Two Budget
Rental	$150	20 days	$3,000	$6,000
Purchase	$6,000		$6,000	$0

10 x 20 Rental vs. Purchase

For a 10 x 20 trade show display, which rents up to $2,000 per day, the scenario looks very different Total rental cost for all 20 days is $40,000. In two years, this will result in an investment of $80,000.

Total purchase price for a 10 x 20 trade show display is $30,000. Compared to a 10 x 10 pop-up display, it may be more cost-effective for you to purchase a 10 x 20 trade show display instead of renting it.

Display Type	Price	No. of Days	Year One Budget	Year Two Budget
Rental	$2,000	20 days	$40,000	$80,000
Purchase	$30,000		$30,000	$0

The decision isn’t as simple as just doing the math, so consider all of the aforementioned factors that can impact your trade show display investment, such as graphics costs, transportation costs and potential on-site problems, before making your final decision.