Entering my 27th year in the Trade Show industry and having spent many a day (and night) on a show floor checking in freight and examining shipments piece counts and inspecting for damage, there are some basic things you can do to prevent possible situations down the line once your Trade Show freight leaves your facility.
When shipping your freight from your office, warehouse facility or show site to show site, it is always best to itemize and manifest what you are shipping (unless it is one self-contained crate), and send this to the person that will be on-site for you to confirm upon arrival. That manifest should contain a piece number and description of contents and type/size/color description. If you are skidding materials and shrink wrapping the skid, we recommend that you always individually label each piece so if for any reason the skid is broken down it will be easier to find a loose piece at the agent’s dock or on show site. We also recommend you take a picture of the freight before it is picked up so you have that for your records as well.
Upon your arrival at your booth space in the Convention Center, inspect your freight before unwrapping the shrink wrap or opening cases or crates. If there is any visible damage we highly advise you to take pictures and then report it to the Decorator and obtain a copy of the proof of delivery and scan it for any exceptions. If you freight arrived at show site (Or advance receiving) and was signed off free and clear, chances are the damage may have occurred on-site or being taken to your booth or when moved from the Advance warehouse to show site. If it was signed off for with any damage noted, please contact us immediately.
When the show is over, we also recommend you keep handy, a copy of your MHA and take a picture of your freight before you leave show site. Again, please make sure you have enough labels to label ALL your freight, even if skidded and shrink wrapped.
Lastly, here at ELITeXPO we are always shipping via the most trusted partners, but occasionally skidded shipments may be broken down or damage may occur in transit. Therefore, we always recommend you purchase our “All-Risk” Shipping Insurance. This covers your shipment from the time it is picked up at your facility until the time it is returned to you, even when it is out of our possession. This is the broadest and best possible form of cargo coverage available in the industry. There is typically no deductible and reimburses full freight and insurance costs as well as damage. Please ask your ELITeXPO Sales professional for more information.
-Michael Reed / ELITeXPO Show Management