PC Retail

Size isn't everything: Channel Expo 2007 review

Scott Bicheno March 30, 3:00pm

An emphasis on quality over quantity of visitors left exhibitors wanting more, while Microsoft, Bullguard and Centerprise were among the winners at the Channel Expo awards.

The word on the show floor was that, while visitor numbers weren’t as high as some exhibitors had hoped, those that did attend were highly relevant and so were well worth meeting.

Channel Expo is designed very much as a trade show and thus has no need to appeal to consumers. For this reason, exhibitors are under less pressure to have all the bells and whistles on their stand. The emphasis is on relevance, product and relationship building.

How many people can honestly say they like walking around all four million halls at CeBIT or that they made their annual purchasing decisions based on who had the biggest stand at CES? Channel Expo 2007 didn’t resemble a technology theme park, but as a place to develop mutually beneficial relationships and seize opportunities that might otherwise have been missed it remained invaluable.

In terms of product, the show was clearly dominated by the security software vendors, with a conspicuously large number present. Intel and AMD continued their rivalry through the show, while distributors Ingram Micro, Enta and Meroncourt all said they had a great show. The undoubted highlight, however, was the panel debate hosted by PC Retail editor Scott Bicheno, at which WEEE and Vista were among the topics of discussion.

The evening awards event was jointly set up by the organisers of the Channel Expo exhibition, Incisive VNU and the PCA. The nominees for the awards were submitted during February and March, before a specially selected judging panel decided on the winners.