Trade Shows Are Changing — My Notes from eTail West
I just got back from a few days at eTail West in Palm Desert and, like every year, it was great to reconnect with people across the retail and MarTech ecosystem.
The weather was incredible—especially coming from rainy Portland. The last couple of days pushed into the 90s, which felt pretty nice compared to what we left behind.
But beyond the sunshine, I came away with a few observations about how these shows seem to be evolving.
A Vendor-Heavy Crowd
One thing that stood out right away was the vendor-to-brand ratio.
If I had to guess, the crowd felt about 70% vendors and 30% brands. Walking the expo floor, it often felt like vendors talking to vendors.
I spoke with several vendors who mentioned that booth traffic was lighter than expected, and a number of brands told me they were intentionally avoiding the expo floor unless they had a specific reason to be there.
That doesn’t mean the expo wasn’t useful. Some brands said they were actively looking for a few solutions and used the floor to see what was available. But many also admitted they were cautious about getting pulled into conversations that weren’t relevant to their immediate needs.
With so many vendors looking for attention, it’s understandable that buyers can feel a bit overwhelmed.
The Real Networking Happens at the Bar
Like most years, the lobby bar was the unofficial center of gravity.
During the day it was filled with sales reps regrouping between meetings, and after 5pm it became the main place where everyone gathered once sessions wrapped up.
Interestingly, some of the busiest “tables” weren’t even inside the expo hall—they were in the hallway outside the session rooms.
For me personally, the best conversations happened at the bar. Buyers tend to let their guard down a bit after a drink, and the conversations become more natural and less transactional.
A shoutout to the team at Keynes Digital, who managed to commandeer a large section of the bar most nights. Given the strength of their CTV offering, it’s not surprising their corner was always busy.
A Monday Night Worth Remembering
The highlight of the week for me happened Monday night.
I was invited to a party at Sylvester Stallone’s house in Palm Desert—or at least a house he owns and rents out for events. Sadly, Rocky himself wasn’t there.
The event was hosted by the great teams at RTB House and PebblePost, and the house itself was incredible.
There was a tennis court, a golf simulator room, a pool table room with two tables, a separate three-bedroom guest house, and multiple sunken bar areas throughout the property.
At one point I looked down into the pool and noticed the initials “SS” painted on the bottom. For a brief moment, I thought the place might actually belong to me.
It didn’t.
But it was still a fantastic evening with about 50–60 people, mostly brand leaders, and one of those nights where the conversations were as memorable as the setting.
A special thanks to Jason Blom from RTB House for hosting.
What Seems to Be Changing
Stepping back from the week, a few patterns felt pretty clear.
Trade shows used to be where discovery happened.
Today, they seem to be more about learning, networking, and spending time with people you already know.
Many brands I spoke with said they prefer to research vendors on their own time, then use events like eTail to deepen relationships rather than start them.
That doesn’t make events less valuable—if anything, it reinforces how important the community aspect of these gatherings has become.
It also raises an interesting question for the industry:
If discovery isn’t happening primarily on the expo floor anymore, where does it happen?
That’s something many of us in the ecosystem are actively thinking about.
And judging by the conversations I had this week, it’s a question a lot of people are starting to ask.
