Hershey 2024 space costs

[trimacar]

Wow, just got renewal for 2024 Hershey, a flat 100 bucks per space…that seems like a large uptick when a lot of spaces vacant in 2023, and some of those HAD to be people just not coming due to cost and expenses.

 

Anyone know why the increase?  Yes, I know, economy, inflation, so forth, but this seems excessive.  Fewer spaces sold in 2023, so raise price to make up the difference?
 

That’s really not how economies and disposable income work….that action will just exacerbate the vendor attendance issue.

[John_S_in_Penna]

20 minutes ago, trimacar said:

...a flat 100 bucks per space…

I agree that a higher price will discourage vendors.

It's a law of economics:  Higher prices result in a

smaller quantity demanded (spaces sold).

 

For comparison, what has the price been in prior years?

[trimacar]

Just now, John_S_in_Penna said:

I agree that a higher price will discourage vendors.

It's a law of economics:  Higher prices result in a

smaller quantity demanded (spaces sold).

 

For comparison, what has the price been in prior years?

It was either 80 or 85 a space last year.

[dalef62]

I think it was $90 last year.

[32tatra]

Yes it was $90 last year.  I thought the same thing you all did when I got my renew notice in the mail today.  With all the other costs involved, it just means, over time there will be less and less venders. Also you don't have to worry about the weather, when you sell online.

The one thing that helps to keeps venders coming back to Hershey is the cost of postage has gone up and up and the fact that now you have to pay tax, when you buy online.  So, you can still get a better deal in person, then online.

 

[trimacar]

I stand corrected, $90 to $100, over 11% increase in one year. Hershey Region won’t share information, of course, but I still think a lot of the empty spaces in 2023 were unpaid spaces, so the region is thinking increase cost of spaces to cover lost revenue.  That’s just not how economics works in the economy we’re living in now.

[3macboys]

I've got no dog in this fight but I'd guess that the requirement to register for PA Sales Tax is a bigger issue than the cost of the space and like many developments that is beyond the control of the Region.  I actually was surprised that it was only $100 a space - if I didn't have to navigate both the border and the PA sales tax I'd would likely be starting to load a truck and trailer now.  

[jdome]

$80 in 21. $90 in 22 & 23.

[Terry Bond]

I'll be there enjoying every minute.  What price is your brand of fun?  

Terry

[Dave Mellor NJ]

I'll be there again but I think it sucks. The price of membership keeps going up, too.

[Joe in Canada]

I do not think that the park rental fee goes down when they get fewer venders to cover the cost. 

Not sure if I will be there next year as a tourist again.

Edited December 22, 2023 by Joe in Canada (see edit history)

[Littlestown Mike]

Compare the cost of, say, 2 spaces ( to allow camper and tow vehicle and still have some vending space) to the cost of any RV parks in the area and it seems reasonable.  Plus being at Hershey is worth something. 

[Restorer32]

Is the cost of spaces determined by the AACA or by HERCO ?

[TAKerry]

WHAT? Im shocked, the price of something is going up?

[Gtjoey]

Well, Im going till it dies.....

I just told my wife AND girlfriend, less under the tree IM GOING TO HERSHEY 😘

GTJOEY1314

[trimacar]

9 hours ago, Terry Bond said:

I'll be there enjoying every minute.  What price is your brand of fun?  

Terry

Terry, I agree, it’s just that increasing price may reduce participation from others.  

[Steve Moskowitz]

The fees being charged by the region are due to one thing only, increased fees for everything that it takes to put the show on.  Security costs have skyrocketed, tents, printing, land rental, etc.  Most of the empty spaces were sold last year, almost 9,000 paid for.  I am not sure if you folks have gone grocery shopping, put gas in your vehicle's, etc. but if you have you know that everything in this world has increased in price.  I still choke a bit at the price of an occasional breakfast at Mc Donalds..$14!

 

Dave, the price of national dues KEEPS rising???  It was $30 in 2004 and now $45, 20 years later.  It is very low compared to how dramatically our costs have increased.  It is also as low if not lower than many other clubs.  We continue to upgrade what we do, have not cheapened our awards, not reduced our service, not reduced the size of our magazine or its quality all of which others have chosen to do.  Sorry, I see the numbers every day and think that our dues are a bargain.

[ch1929]

What is the size of the space for $100?

[Steve Moskowitz]

10 X 30

[ch1929]

4 minutes ago, Steve Moskowitz said:

10 X 30

Thanks Steve!

[dalef62]

8 minutes ago, Steve Moskowitz said:

10 X 30

$100 is for Monday through Friday!  $20 a day, not bad at all!  Maybe some venders could stay till Friday and sell a few more fleas to cover the increase???

[erichill]

Is an additional $10-15$ per space seriously going to deter someone from continuing to come?  I get it that the other costs involved with attending have increased also (gas, food, lodging) so overall expenses increase.  I am sure they have no choice but in crease space costs with all their over head to put on the event increasing also. It it makes you feel any better those of us who come to buy and bring a trailer along are paying $40 a day to park. Three days and I pay $120 to park. 

[TAKerry]

I have never vended but when I just read $100 I thought that seemed like a bargain.

[Peter Gariepy]

Let me get this right...

• Truck - $70,000
• Trailer - $30,000
• Gas - $250
• Antique car(s) - $10,000-$1,000,000+
• Garage filled with tools and parts - $100,000
• Hotel room for the week - $1,000
• Food for the week - $200

Now compare that to the cost of the swap meet space - $100.

 

Before you nitpick my numbers: Even if I overstated the numbers by 5, the cost of the space is still trivial.

 

As to the cost of AACA membership at $45. It's a steal, to complain about it seems unreasonable considering the benefits.

 

[TTR]

2 hours ago, dalef62 said:

$100 is for Monday through Friday!  $20 a day, ….

Couple of months ago I went to a small, single day, single manufacturer (MoPar) oriented local swap meet about 50 miles away and they charged me $45.- for a single (20’ x 20’ ?) space.

And I was told by several spectators that compared to past events, this one didn’t have even 50% of vendors.

Perhaps those organizers screwed me ? 😡

And add that insult to almost $200.- per night in a nearby hotel (with a comfy bed though and free parking), a great $120.- dinner (with drinks) across the street from the hotel, fuel to get there & back, wear and tear on my (work) truck, etc, etc, etc, all which was made less painful by almost $7K worth of sales, so how upset should I be and publicly cry into everyone’s beer here about it ?

 

Edited December 22, 2023 by TTR (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

It would have hardly been noticed at $99.

[Bhigdog]

There will always be a core of "true believers" who will stick around no matter the price. There also will always be a much larger faction that will weigh the cost to benefit ratio. At some point the law of diminishing returns will kick in and an enterprise can price itself out of existence.  Just sayin....Bob

[Walt G]

1 hour ago, Peter Gariepy said:

As to the cost of AACA membership at $45. It's a steal, to complain about it seems unreasonable considering the benefits.

 

I do not know how much things cost to have the space, security etc needed for an event like that nor does anyone comprehend all the "free" labor/time etc. that goes into making the event happen at all.

Regarding the cost of dues for AACA I TOTALLY agree with Peter's comment and what Steve said. Just the magazine alone is worth the cost of the dues , AACA is not getting "rich" on the dues they collect. Production costs alone for cost of paper, mailing, printing, are outrageous. There are some of us here that take great satisfaction in holding a quality publication in our hands to read and look at the pictures.  We each have our preferences - mine of course is period material and photographs - can't get enough so started the "Period Images" thread nearly 4 years ago. That is what I write about in periodicals in the stories I tell as well now and in the past for SAH and CCCA. I have renewed/increased  my involvement in SAH and totally left CCCA in the past several years.  We all have our choices.

No organization, club etc will always be of total interest to everyone to their particular pleasure. Make the most of what you can while you can........................

[trimacar]

17 minutes ago, Bhigdog said:

There will always be a core of "true believers" who will stick around no matter the price. There also will always be a much larger faction that will weigh the cost to benefit ratio. At some point the law of diminishing returns will kick in and an enterprise can price itself out of existence.  Just sayin....Bob

You get my point.  I now have 6 spaces, the extra $60 won’t change my life, but at SOME point SOME  people will stop paying.

[TTR]

48 minutes ago, Bhigdog said:

At some point the law of diminishing returns will kick in and an enterprise can price itself out of existence. 

And hasn't that always applied to any and all business/commercial "enterprises", not just antique automobile related swap meets where last time I checked, no one was holding a gun against attendees or vendors heads forcing them to participate ?

 

Or who knows, maybe this will eventually create a yet another great(?) or at least cheaper option business opportunity to outsource car shows and swap meets to some east Asian locations ?

Edited December 22, 2023 by TTR (see edit history)

[CarNucopia]

Something I’ve learned about the evolution of businesses/events/clubs/magazines is that the people affected seem to think the options are “change” or “don’t change”. The reality is, the options are “change” or “die”. As was once said, “if a business ages with its customers, it becomes Woolworth's”.

 

Sure, I also see changes I don’t like. What I try to do step back and think how this might help the thing I care about evolve into something that is still relevant, instead of something obsolete.  

[Mark Shaw]

I say QIT YOUR BITCHIN.  I live in Washington state and have attended Hershey only 2 times due to cost of airfare, hotel, etc. etc.

I calculated my purchase of a $30 dog bone radiator cap actually cost close to $1500. 

[Bhigdog]

2 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

Let me get this right...

• Truck - $70,000
• Trailer - $30,000
• Gas - $250
• Antique car(s) - $10,000-$1,000,000+
• Garage filled with tools and parts - $100,000
• Hotel room for the week - $1,000
• Food for the week - $200

Now compare that to the cost of the swap meet space - $100.

 

Before you nitpick my numbers: Even if I overstated the numbers by 5, the cost of the space is still trivial.

 

As to the cost of AACA membership at $45. It's a steal, to complain about it seems unreasonable considering the benefits.

 

Ah yes. The "Sock it to the Doc" rationalization.

We might name it the Peter Principal but that's already taken..................Bob

[Matt Harwood]

I've been paying $125/space (x3) for several years in the car corral without complaint.

[Peter Gariepy]

25 minutes ago, Bhigdog said:

"Sock it to the Doc" rationalization

That's a new one to me. What does it mean?

 

Fully aware of "Peter principle".   "Peter principal" is a new one though. 🥴

[mobileparts]

$80 a space in 2016 through 2021 ( minus Covid year 2020 )

$ 90 a space for 2022 through 2023

$ 100 a space for 2024 through ???

 

I have 9 spaces, so that raises my rent from $ 810 to $ 900…

That $ 90 isn’t going to affect my life significantly, and 

I will be at HERSHEY until HERSHEY DIES or I DIE , whichever comes second !!!

 

The glaring problem is having all of those EMPTY spaces filled —- because the walking clientele had to spend a lot of energy , effort, time to get from one vendor to the next in certain aisles….

And, if they weren’t buzzing around in golf carts, or tooting around in scooters, keep in mind that we are , by and large, not a physically fit 20 - something crowd….

Let’s sincerely fix that… 

[Bloo]

1 hour ago, Walt G said:

Just the magazine alone is worth the cost of the dues , AACA is not getting "rich" on the dues they collect. Production costs alone for cost of paper, mailing, printing, are outrageous.

And yet there is still no "no magazine" or "online" option for membership.

 

[63RedBrier]

19 minutes ago, mobileparts said:

 

The glaring problem is having all of those EMPTY spaces filled —- because the walking clientele had to spend a lot of energy , effort, time to get from one vendor to the next in certain aisles….

 

I have an idea to fix the empty spaces problem.  Assign vendors to rows!  When vendors arrive, they get the next (however many spaces they reserved) spaces in that row!  Working from the center out will concentrate all the occupied spaces toward the center and leave the empty spaces on the far end.  Why wouldn't this work?  Steve?

Edited December 22, 2023 by 63RedBrier
edit (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, trimacar said:

You get my point.  I now have 6 spaces, the extra $60 won’t change my life, but at SOME point SOME  people will stop paying.

That's wisely said:  At some point some people will stop paying.

 

In economics, demand is said to be "elastic" or "inelastic."

Demand may be much reduced, or else barely budge, when

prices increase.  How much this will affect AACA remains

to be seen.

 

Example of elastic demand:  One gas station prices gasoline

at $2.50 a gallon.  A few blocks away, another station is $2.45.

For that 2% difference, the $2.50 station will lose many customers.  

[RetroPetro]

3 minutes ago, 63RedBrier said:

I have an idea to fix the empty spaces problem.  Assign vendors to rows!  When vendors arrive, they get the next (however many spaces they reserved) spaces in that row!  Working from the center out will concentrate all the occupied spaces toward the center and leave the empty spaces on the far end.  Why wouldn't work?  Steve?

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