Frequently Asked Questions

General Exposition Services has compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions regarding our services. Each category reflects some of the most pertinent information that can affect your show experience. If for some reason your question remains unresolved, please feel free to contact us by phone during our business hours at (610) 495-8866 or email at info@generalexposition.com.

Order Placement & Payment

May I place my order in advance and pay for it when I arrive at Show site?

General Exposition Services requires full payment when your order is placed. To ensure the ‘Advance Price’, the order and payment must be in our office by 5:00 PM on the Discount Deadline Date. Orders received after the Discount Deadline Date or placed at show site will be charged ‘Show Price’. Orders unaccompanied by payment will not be filled.

What options do I have for payment?

General Exposition Services requires a valid credit card on file for all orders. We accept payment by:

Checks sent with orders
Wire Transfers – contact our office for payment transfer information
Credit Card – MasterCard, Visa & American Express
Cash – At show site only

What if I want to pay with a check or cash but the discount deadline is soon approaching?

We will process your order at the discount rates if you submit a valid credit card number as a deposit. As long as we receive your payment prior to the show opening, we will not process the credit card.

When will I receive a receipt for charges to my credit card?

A credit card statement will be generated when your credit card is charged at the end of the show. This statement will be automatically e-mailed to the email address provided on the Payment Authorization Form.

Furnishings

What furnishings are provided with my booth space?

The furnishing items provided will be listed on the Quick Facts Sheet in your Exhibitor Service Kit under 'Display Furniture'.

Can I substitute an item that is included in my booth package?

Unfortunately, we are unable to substitute any of the items that show management has chosen for you. If you need additional items you may use the order forms included in your Exhibitor Service Kit.

Carpeting

Does carpet come with my booth space or shall I order it?

This information will be listed on the Quick Facts Sheet in your Exhibitor Service Kit under ‘Show Colors’. If carpeting is not provided, please refer to our Carpet Rental Form to rent carpeting and padding for your booth area.

What size carpet should I order for my booth?

Most booth spaces are usually 8 x 10 or 10 x 10. Standard 10 ft. wide carpet accommodates both sizes. You can order standard 10 ft. wide carpet in 10 ft. linear increments. Please see our Carpet Rental Form. For example: you would order a 10 x 10 carpet for an 8 x 10 or 10 x 10 booth. If your booth size was a 20 x 20, you could order either a 20 x 20 custom cut or two (2) 10 x 20 carpets.

Does the price of carpet include labor?

The published price for carpet includes delivery, installation and removal.

Is padding available for my booth?

Padding may be ordered separately. Please refer to the Carpet Rental Form.

What is Visqueen?

Visqueen is a plastic covering that can be installed over your carpet to protect it during set-up.

What about cleaning?

General vacuuming of the aisles is provided and your booth carpet should be installed clean. Once you begin set-up, however, any cleaning for your booth space must be ordered. Also remember to order cleaning based upon your booth space size (with a 100 sq. ft. minimum).

Hardwall/Modular Display

My company does not have an exhibit or display. Can we rent one?

General Exposition Services can provide various Hardwall Display Units. Please refer to the Hardwall Rental Form. We provide the delivery, installation labor, and dismantle labor all for the published price.

Do the Hardwall Units include any furnishings?

No they do not. You can order furnishings from the Furniture and Accessories Form.

I don’t see a unit that meets our needs for the show. Do you take custom orders?

Absolutely. Our specialists are standing by to help design a unit that works for you. Call us today at 610-495-8866 or email us at info@generalexposition.com.

Graphics

Are any signs provided with the booth space?

All rental booths include a 7” x 44” ID sign containing your company name and booth number. Logos and additional graphics can be ordered for the backwall panels and/or headers of the Hardwall Units at an additional cost. Additional signage can be ordered by completing the Special Signs Order Form.

Whom should I inform as to how I would like my sign to read?

General Exposition Services prints this sign from a list provided by Show Management. If you would like your ID sign to read differently from how your company is listed on your contract, you should notify Show Management.

I would like to add more information to my ID sign. Is that possible?

No, the ID sign is just that – it allows people to locate your space on the exhibit floor. You can order a special sign made to your specifications. Please refer to the Special Signs Order Form.

Can I order additional signs and graphics for my booth?

Special signs and graphics can be ordered. Look for ordering information In your Exhibitor Service Kit (Special Signs).

Set-up and Dismantle Labor

Do I need to order labor to set-up my booth?

All exhibitors are required to follow local union jurisdictions as published in the Exhibitor Service Kit. In most cities, exhibitors are allowed to set-up their own displays without assistance provided that:

- All work is performed only by full-time employees of the exhibiting company.
- The booth is 10 x 30 or smaller.
- Booth installation requires no more than two people.
- No power tools are used

* No union Labor is required in right-to-work facilities *

If I order labor from General Exposition Services must I be present for the work to take place?

Exhibitors may order labor in one of two ways:

Supervised Labor – for a 30% supervision fee, General Exposition Services will oversee the installation and dismantle of your exhibit in your absence. If you would like General Exposition Services to supervise, be sure to submit the set up instructions for your exhibit with your order.

Exhibitor Supervised – in this case, a representative from your company must check-in at the Service Desk to pick-up scheduled labor workers. Your employee is then responsible for supervising all work performed. Workers remain on your clock until your representative returns with the laborers to the Service Desk and signs them back over to General Exposition Services.

The charge for labor is a one-hour minimum per worker. One-hour increments thereafter. If Installation labor is used, dismantle labor is also required

Is my labor guaranteed?

All labor orders scheduled for the beginning of the workday, in most cases 8:00 AM, are guaranteed. Similarly, all guaranteed labor orders are charged a 1 hour per worker “no show” charge should you fail to sign-in at the labor desk at the beginning of the workday.

Freight Handling

What exactly is freight handling?

Freight handling is the movement of your freight from the carrier to your booth and then back to the carrier at the close of the show. This includes receipt, unloading and storage (up to 30 days) of your freight at the advance warehouse; delivery of the materials to your booth; the handling of empty containers to and from storage and removal of your material from the booth for reloading onto your outbound carrier.

Is there a charge for freight handling?

Yes. Freight handling charges are computed based upon the weight of your materials. The weight is rounded up to the closest hundred pounds (cwt) and charged according to the rates published in the Exhibitor Service Kit. Please remember that this is a Freight Handling charge, your shipping company will also charge you a fee. Also, there can be additional charges for late delivery or overtime. Please refer to your Exhibitor Service Kit.

What is CWT? – Calculating Freight Charges

CWT is an increment of measure for freight, it is based on 100 pounds. If you have freight that weighs 2500 pounds, you would have 25 cwt’s. To calculate your freight charges, take the number of cwt’s and multiply by the dollar amount given for your type of shipment (advance or direct). This will be the charge for freight handling. NOTE: All weights are rounded to the next 100 pounds, if you have 201 pounds, it is considered 300 pounds or 3 cwt’s.

What if I miss the advance-shipping deadline?

If you miss the advance-shipping deadline, you have two options. First, you may still ship to the advance warehouse but you will incur late charges and possibly overtime charges. The other option would be to ship directly to show site. Please refer to the Exhibitor Service Kit for discount deadlines and specific dates for shipping.

What are my choices for freight carriers?

As an exhibitor, you are free to use whichever carrier you like to transport your materials. At the present time, our preferred carriers are UPS and YRC.

Can I carry my own materials in without using the freight handling service?

In most cases, an exhibitor may bring in what can be hand-carried in one trip without the use of loading dock or hand trucks. Refer to the union jurisdictions in your Exhibitor Service Kit for specific information regarding your show.

How should I label my materials for shipping to the show?

You can ship either to the advance warehouse address or direct to show site. Both addresses are provided for you on the Quick Facts Sheet in the Exhibitor Service Kit. Whichever address you chose, it is important to make sure your labels indicate the following information:

Your Company Name
Your Booth Number
Piece ____ of ____
The Event Name
c/o General Exposition Services
Location Name
Location Address

What are the advantages of shipping my material to the advance warehouse?

The three main advantages to shipping to the advance warehouse versus directly to show site are:

- You have plenty of time to confirm that your shipment has arrived and that everything is intact.
- These materials will be delivered to your booth prior to the official exhibitor move-in time.
- Delivery dates and times are more flexible.

What should I do if I arrive on-site and my freight is not in my booth?

First, you should locate your shipping paperwork. Call your carrier to verify the address where your materials were shipped and verify that the shipment has been delivered. If the carrier has delivered your shipment, obtain the date, time and signature of the person who signed for the shipment.

Take this information to our Service Desk so we can assist in tracking your materials.

Remember, we begin receiving show site shipments during exhibitor move-in and drivers are scheduled for unloading on a first-come, first serve basis.

How do I prepare for outbound shipping at the close of the show?

You may go to the Exhibitor Service Desk and pick-up an official bill of lading and labels for outbound shipping. Each shipment must be accompanied by an official bill of lading. This document provides General Exposition Services with essential information about where and how to ship your materials.

Once you’ve packed and labeled your materials, be sure to bring the bill of lading to the Service Desk so we know the shipment is ready to be loaded on your designated carrier.

Forklift

Isn't Forklift service included with freight handling?

Freight handling charges include any forklift work necessary to move your materials from the carrier into your booth space, to move your empty crates into and out of empty storage and to reload your freight onto your carrier. Any additional work requiring a forklift must be ordered separately.

Under what circumstances would I be required to order a forklift separately?

Separate forklift work orders must be placed for:

- Repositioning materials with the booth space after original placement.
- Lifting heavy headers or top sections of large displays.
- Moving and/or uncrating heavy display material or machinery. These services are sometimes referred to as rigging.

What is the minimum charge for a forklift?

The minimum charge is 1 hour for the forklift and operator.

Miscellaneous

What is the cancellation policy for refunds?

We will gladly refund 100% of any item that has not been delivered to the booth at the time of cancellation. Items cancelled after delivery are refunded at 50% of their rental value. Some exceptions to this policy are graphics, plush carpet, custom furniture and modular display units, all of which are non-refundable.

How do I order electrical hook-up?

Electrical hook-ups are usually handled by the facility where the show is located. You should find an Electrical Order Form in your Exhibitor Service Kit. This form should be printed out, completed and sent directly to the facility.

How do I order Telephone/Internet?

Telephone services are usually handled by the facility. You should find the appropriate forms in your Exhibitor Service Kit.