So what happens to all the props and wares that, for one week, become the focus of attention for 165,000 pairs of eyeballs?

No floor sales

If you're part of the media, a buyer, or any one of the non-exhibitor attendees, don't count on scoring a premium giveaway or a discounted purchase on hot products. The PA system makes it clear: no sales on the trade show floor, even on the last day.

Panasonic, the biggest exhibitor at CES 2001, will be moving most of its highlighted products down the street to the Aladdin for its sales force's annual national training. According to Barbara Fleming, Panasonic's senior administrative control manager, all showcased items are moved back to the inventory and used in future trade shows or company trainings. The products don't stay in the warehouse for long, though -- the folks at Panasonic are already preparing for two trade hows next month.

The same story goes for a much smaller exhibitor, Sentrya Systems, a Tarrytown, New York-based importer of small consumer electronics goods. One-of-a-kind items are taken to the next trade show. Items that don't survive the road show get sent to salvage companies.

No mercy

The trade show circuit is pretty relentless. Sentrya participates in about 25 of them a year. The planning takes about six to eight months. Then there's the hours of travel and labor that go towards the setup. But it all gets taken down in a day, maybe a day and a half max, then it's on to the next one.

Coming soon to a city near you

Of course, for us folks at TechTV, we can bid our audience a rousing "See you next year." For exhibitors, it's more like "See you soon." You'll see a lot of them next week in Chicago at the International Housewares Show.