You've all just outlined the problem for yourselves.
As Jon ( Hareng ) says, it's expensive to have a stall there ( from memory, a grand for the weekend for a eight foot wide frontage - considerably more for bigger stalls ) - which means as a business you have to recoup a hell of a lot before it's even worth going, let alone being profitable. Yet, nigh on every post on here is a moan about how businesses weren't discounting products, or offering 'show specials'. Not one has said thanks to the guys who were there for making an effort - and trust me it is a lot of effort to do the whole weekend.
It's a sad fact that a high percentage of the public, trundle off to these shows in full expectation of coming home carrying boat loads of gear that they've paid next to f - all for, when they return without that boat load of gear, they complain (they buy the products they were looking for anyway at full RRP at some point) but don't attend the show again. Traders see the attendance fall and don't rebook for the following year. Simple to see, even without much up top.
Why should Jon, Shaun, MTC, Gary Cane or any of the other contributors on here, practically give their products and labour away FOC, just because it's a show? Why should Jon produce a wheel, or rail or tune a rifle for X amount of pounds usually, only to be expected to knock money off it on that day because he's gone to the trouble of paying for a pitch, transporting it to the ground, set up a stall and answered questions all day? In my opinion, the product should be offered at a higher price to cover all that.
Surely half the enjoyment of going to shows is to see and handle products in the flesh, along with enjoying a few shows and displays along the way and nattering to mates you meet up with. If you can 'haggle a bargain' whilst you're there, then good luck to you - but you're wrong for expecting it. I've always been happy to pay for whatever I've fancied that my local shops don't stock, just so I can take it home there and then and not wait for postage.
Tight fisted attitudes of saving a few quid on something you'd have bought in the long term regardless, will eventually ruin what should be, and what has been for me for as many years as I can recall, an enjoyable weekend away.
If you want bargains, start drinking Anti-Freeze instead of your usual tipple.
Put on heading 270, assume attack formation