LAS VEGAS, NV (01.10.22) – COVID 19, along with testing procedures and uncertainties in marketplace, led to a significantly less than expected attendance during CES 2022. Attendance was reported to be in the 40,000 range compared to 170,000 in a recent year. News of large companies cancelling plans to exhibit, along with major flight cancellations and delays, added to the 75% decline in attendance compared to recent years.
Less than a week before CES 2022 presenter CTA announced the event would be reduced to a 3-Day run… concluding on Friday at 6PM instead of the scheduled Saturday last day.
The headline on the Las Vegas newspaper one day during the event was ‘CES…Room To Roam.’
Weeks ago a large number of 12volt companies announced they would not be attending. Several forfeited seniority for future years. VOXX Electronics, SiriusXM, XS Power, CUB and Installer Net continued with their plans to exhibit. The VOXX Prestige, Directed, Viper, Rostra and Rosen brands showcased their 12volt products. Sirius XM, with Paul Trueman, shared the large VOXX booth in the Central Hall.
Paul Trueman, SiriusXM Sr. Director Retail Sales, offered “The new RoadyBT Tuner that offers multiple installation options opened eyes in the booth. The new Road Dog BT tuner that we showed opens installation options in the retail truck channel. Of course it would have been brilliant to have seen a larger turnout.”
XS POWER with Scottie Johnson, Brady Basner, Shawn Mayo and Remy Viator had an impressive booth in the West Hall with the company’s batteries and accessories positioned for attendees to check out. Large signage hung from ceiling rafters to draw attention in the massive 1.4 million square foot West Hall.
Scottie Johnson, XS POWER President related “For us the show overall was a success, but with very little audio business. We did develop opportunities in the EV and Commercial Energy markets.”
“We showed our full lineup to attendees who came to the booth and met with dealers from outside the U.S. Closing CES a day early was probably good for some to spend an extra day in Vegas but I would have preferred being at home in Tennessee” Brady Basner, XS POWER Sales/Marketing, related.
Rescheduling airline reservations, along with travels delays, prevented most from returning home a day earlier than scheduled after the Saturday CES cancellation was announced.
CUB and Installer Net also moved forward in the West Hall to let all see their latest products and services.
Robin McNeal, Nakamichi National Sales Manager and Las Vegas resident, registered for CES and walked the halls of LVCC. “I have attended CES for probably over two decades. CES 2022 I have a hard time understanding or describing. We all know the 12volt category has been declining at CES and shifting to SEMA. Nakamichi canceled our booth a few months ago. Our original booth space in the West Hall was just an empty space when I walked that hall. The local newspaper described CES 2022 as a gadget show. Add in health products and that sounds about right.”
12volt Central staff interviewed a number of 12volt retailers prior to CES 2022. All indicated they would not be attending. Several said they had registered, bought a ticket and booked hotel stay. As 12volt exhibitors pulled out, uncertainties in the marketplace continuing and the new COVID variant spiking they cancelled plans to attend CES 2022.
As an industry veteran, with parts of seven decades in the industry, witnessing the reality of CES 2022 is sobering and disheartening. CES for this writer began in the early 1970’s in Chicago. With all the variables in the marketplace getting things back to close to normal will be challenging to be sure. Let’s all set plans to accomplish positives each day as we work to accomplish respective goals for the year.
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