Fig. 1 · The cover photo
Our cover shows one model in a fitted black sheath dress beside a white coupe on a turntable. A single, simple look in the right spot makes a vehicle display read as finished from far down the aisle.
AAPEX booth staff and trade show models for the 2026 aftermarket show: product demonstrators, lead capture reps, parts wall reps and meeting hosts who already live in Las Vegas. Every role is $85 an hour, with no travel fees.
$85 per person per hour4 hr minimum shift72 hr rush booking
Sources: aapexshow.com home page (2,500+ exhibitors, 45,000 attendees, 1,400+ product categories); AAPEX FAQ (exhibit hall open November 3–5, 2026, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum; one badge covers the AAPEX and SEMA Show floors; next dates November 2–4, 2027); AAPEX press release of June 16, 2026 (new floor layout by product section, Joe’s Garage on Level 2, international sourcing on Level 1, AAPEX Forum); AAPEX What’s New page. The $85 rate is Purple Exhibits’ own.
AAPEX buyers come to compare parts, tools and programs side by side, so the person who greets them has to know which line they came for. Purple Exhibits supplies AAPEX booth staff who live in Las Vegas: product demonstrators for scan tools and service bays, lead capture reps, parts wall reps, catalog kiosk hosts, meeting hosts, bilingual staff and trade show models. One flat rate covers every role: $85 an hour for each person, and any shift runs at least four hours. Everyone lives locally, so you never pay for airfare, hotel rooms or travel time. AAPEX 2026 opens its exhibit hall Tuesday to Thursday, November 3–5, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Venetian Expo and the AAPEX Forum. The show runs every year in early November, the same week as the SEMA Show. Book four to six weeks ahead for the best choice of people; rush orders work with 72 hours’ notice.
| Show | AAPEX 2026, Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo |
|---|---|
| Owners | Auto Care Association and MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers |
| Exhibit hall | Tue–Thu, November 3–5, 2026 |
| Hours | 9 a.m.–5 p.m. each exhibit day |
| Venues | Venetian Expo (Levels 1 and 2) and the AAPEX Forum |
| Audience | Trade only; no one under 16 on the floor |
| Next edition | November 2–4, 2027 |
| Rate | $85 per person per hour · 4-hour minimum |
A parts show is full of serious hardware, so a crew that looks matched and finished is what makes a booth stand out. Every photo here comes from a real Purple Exhibits job, and it shows the finish we aim for with AAPEX booth staff.
Our cover shows one model in a fitted black sheath dress beside a white coupe on a turntable. A single, simple look in the right spot makes a vehicle display read as finished from far down the aisle.
Real Purple Exhibits events.
Pick one look for the whole crew or mix them: work shirts at the service bay, black shirts at the meeting table. You ship any branded pieces; we collect sizes and make sure every person arrives pressed and on time.
A zip-front suit in your brand colors with boots. Loud enough to stop traffic in a wide aisle.
Fits: Accessories, lighting, performanceBlack shirts, slim ties and dark trousers. Clean and calm next to tools, chemicals or software.
Fits: Tools, diagnostics, programsA fitted black dress with simple heels or flats, for a vehicle on display or a launch moment.
Fits: Vehicle displays, press timeA logo work shirt, dark work pants and closed shoes, the way your customers dress in their own bays.
Fits: Service bays, Joe’s Garage areaTell us your booth size, how many live demos you run, your meeting load and your hall. The ticket lists each role by part number with the cost per exhibit day, and adds the afternoon Booth Crawl as its own line.
Eight services for AAPEX exhibitors, from the demo at your service bay to the customer dinner after the floor closes. All eight carry one price: $85 an hour for each person.
Models stand at the edge of your vehicle or product display and invite buyers in to see what is new this year.
Ambassadors greet buyers from the aisle, ask which product line they came for and scan the badge.
For a launch, a vehicle reveal or a press slot, promotional models unveil the product and make sure every camera gets your logo.
Hostesses run the meeting table and client suite, check buyers in from your calendar and keep the next group waiting comfortably.
Demonstrators learn one short demo for a scan tool, a lift or a part and run it the same way all three days.
Check-in staff manage guest lists for dinners, suites and training sessions during AAPEX week.
Reps ask your qualifying questions, tag each buyer by channel and book the follow-up before the visitor leaves.
AAPEX brings buyers from around the world. We can often send Spanish speakers, and we look for other languages when you ask early.
Need a demo that runs the same way 200 times a day? Read about our trade show product demonstrators. Want every badge scan tagged and sorted for sales? See our lead capture staff for trade shows. For other events in town, our Las Vegas trade show staffing team covers every major convention venue.
A sample 20×30 with a service bay, a parts wall, a catalog kiosk and a meeting table. Tap any station for the job description, or match the green numbers to the list under the plan.
Example 20×30 booth, not to scale. Send us your real AAPEX floor plan and we mark the staff spots the same way.
A car on a lift or a scan tool on a cart draws technicians in. A product demonstrator runs the same short demo on a loop and calls your engineer when a shop owner asks about torque specs or software updates.
Distributors and retailers walk the wall to see the new numbers. A booth rep points out what is new this year and notes which lines each buyer wants a price sheet for.
A screen with your electronic catalog lets a buyer type a vehicle and see fitment. A host shows how it works and scans the badge before the buyer leaves.
Buyers who want pricing land at this desk. Our rep reads their badge, works through your short question list and marks them as a retailer, warehouse distributor, program group, service chain, fleet or engine builder.
On a floor with 2,500 exhibitors, buyers move fast. A greeter asks one question, which product line brought you here, and walks the buyer to the right person.
Line meetings and program deals start at a table. A meeting host checks each group in against your calendar, brings water and tells the account manager the next buyer is waiting.
Keep catalogs, samples and giveaways locked here. The host restocks the lead desk at the 11 a.m. lunch rush and again before the afternoon Booth Crawl.
Brands that have booked Purple
For 2026, AAPEX groups every exhibitor in a product section together and adds a second hall. Where your booth sits decides who walks past it, so we plan the crew by floor.
AAPEX keeps international sourcing and the country pavilions on Level 1, where they have always been. Buyers here are often sourcing managers from distributors and retailers, and many arrive with a list of part numbers.
Crew tipPlan a bilingual lead rep if your factory or office team does not speak the buyer’s language. We ask for the languages early because they take longer to fill.
Joe’s Garage moves to Level 2 for 2026, with six working service bays for training and demos. Podcast Row, the Media Hub and the Food Truck Pit Stop sit on this level too, next to sections such as tools and equipment, diagnostics, paint and body, tire servicing, underhood and electric vehicles.
Crew tipA demo near Joe’s Garage pulls technicians all day. Give your demonstrator a fixed script and a clear hand-off to your engineer so the line does not stall.
AAPEX calls its new second hall the AAPEX Forum, a short walk across a pedestrian bridge from the Venetian Expo. It holds the Accessories and Lighting and Undercar sections, the Product Showcase, general sessions, the opening reception and the free daily buyers lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Crew tipThe lunch draws buyers across the bridge at midday. Keep your strongest rep on the floor from 11 to 1 and schedule crew breaks before or after.
Docks, parking and hall layouts are in our Venetian Expo exhibitor guide. AAPEX also lists Caesars Forum as a 2026 venue; our Caesars Forum venue guide covers that building. Floor facts above come from AAPEX’s own 2026 announcements.
Six jobs at a parts or tools booth: the work, the headcount we suggest and the latest week to confirm each one.
| Role | What they do at AAPEX | How many | Book by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product demonstrator | Runs one tested demo of your tool, part or scan software and hands deep technical questions to your engineer | One per working demo | 6 weeks out |
| Parts wall rep | Walks buyers along the display, notes the lines they care about and books the follow-up | One per wall or category | 5 weeks out |
| Catalog kiosk host | Shows the fitment lookup on screen and scans each badge before the buyer moves on | One per kiosk | 5 weeks out |
| Lead capture rep | Reads each badge, runs your short question list and labels the buyer by sales channel | One or two per booth | 5 weeks out |
| Meeting host | Keeps the meeting table on schedule and checks booked buyers in from your calendar | One per table area | 4 weeks out |
| Greeter and trade show model | Works the aisle edge, asks which product line the buyer came for and walks them in | One per open side | 4 weeks out |
People who can run a scan tool demo, scan a buyer's badge and keep a line meeting on schedule. These are the five roles we send to AAPEX.
Presenters on a headset mic who walk technicians through your new tool or part at a live demo.
Ambassadors who scan each buyer's badge as they step in from the aisle and ask which line they came for.
Hosts at your signature station: the lift, the diagnostic cart or the parts wall buyers came to see.
Hostesses who check booked buyers into your meeting suite and keep the next group comfortable.
Reps with a tablet who log what each buyer stocks and book the follow-up with your sales team.
Send your product linesDemos, SKUs and the hall you are in.
We learn the demoEach person runs it before the doors open.
Leads tagged by channelRetail, distributor, shop, fleet.
AAPEX is trade only, and AAPEX lists a wide mix of buyers: retailers, distributors, program groups, service chains, shops, fleets, dealers and engine builders. Our reps match each one to the right question and the right person on your team.
Which lines do you carry now, and what is missing from your shelf?
Category or retail account manager
How many branches do you supply, and which categories turn fastest?
Distribution sales lead
How many locations, and who signs off on a new supplier?
National accounts, same week
What vehicles fill your bays, and what slows the job down?
Product specialist or demo follow-up
How many vehicles, what mix, and who handles parts buying?
Fleet or OE-channel manager
Which engines do you build, and what do you machine in-house?
Technical sales, with spec sheets
AAPEX and the SEMA Show run the same week, and one AAPEX badge also opens the SEMA floor. Many aftermarket brands exhibit at both, and many buyers walk both. Plan the two booths together.
Planning both? Our SEMA Show booth staff page covers the convention center side of the week. Many of the same brands come back in January, when our CES booth staff work vehicle tech and in-car displays. International buyers on your list? Ask about bilingual booth staff.
Check each item when it is done. This browser remembers your ticks for next time.
Three exhibit days sit inside a longer week. Here is the 2026 schedule as AAPEX posts it, plus what our Las Vegas people handle before the doors open and after they close.
Move-in beginsExhibitor move-in starts in the first halls. Your crew is not needed yet.
Registration opensBooth walk-through with your crew. Opening reception 6–7:30 p.m. at the AAPEX Forum, free to all.
Exhibit day 1Floor 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Buyers lunch 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Booth Crawl 3–5 p.m. SEMA opens the same day.
Exhibit day 2Floor 9 a.m.–5 p.m. The middle day suits booked line meetings at your meeting table.
Exhibit day 3Floor 9 a.m.–5 p.m. No teardown before 5 p.m., so keep the crew until close.
Typical headcounts for common AAPEX footprints, priced at the flat $85 hourly rate. For your exact demos and meeting load, use the pick ticket above.
| Booth | Typical crew per shift | People | Per day | Whole show |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10×10 inline | Scanner rep plus an aisle greeter | 2 | $1,360 | $4,080 |
| 10×20 inline | Demonstrator, badge scanner rep, aisle greeter | 3 | $2,040 | $6,120 |
| 20×20 with a scan tool demo | Two scan tool demonstrators, one scanner rep, one aisle greeter | 4 | $2,720 | $8,160 |
| 20×30 with a service bay | Bay demonstrator, wall rep, kiosk host, scanner rep, aisle greeter, meeting table host | 6 | $4,080 | $12,240 |
| 40×40 island | Two bay demonstrators, two wall reps, two scanner reps, kiosk host, aisle greeter, meeting table host, break cover | 10 | $6,800 | $20,400 |
| International sourcing booth | A bilingual lead rep and a greeter on Level 1 | 2 | $1,360 | $4,080 |
8-hour days × 3 show days × $85 per person per hour. No travel, hotel or agency markup.
A 20×30 booth with one working service bay runs on six people per shift: a demonstrator, a parts wall rep, a kiosk host, a lead rep, a greeter and a meeting host. Here is that team booked locally next to the same six people flown to Las Vegas and housed for the week.
| AAPEX 20×30, three exhibit days | Cost |
|---|---|
| Purple local staff | |
| Travel, hotel, per-diem | $0 |
| Your AAPEX total |
| Typical fly-in agency, same team | Cost |
|---|---|
| Staff hours at $85 | |
| Round-trip flights ~$340 each | |
| Hotel Strip hotel, AAPEX and SEMA week · ~$269/night | |
| Per-diem ~$79/day | |
| Fly-in total |
How the choices stack up for AAPEX exhibitors, row by row.
| Purple local crew | Fly-in staffing agency | General temp agency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate | $85 per person, every role | Agency rate plus travel markup | Low hourly, untrained for booths |
| Getting staff here | They commute in | Flights (~$340) and hotel nights (~$269) | Local, but unscreened |
| AAPEX venue know-how | Works these halls all year | Learns the venue on show day | Hit or miss |
| The AAPEX edge | Each person runs it before the doors open. | Not local | Not specialised |
| Product briefing | Included before day one | Varies by agency | Rarely |
| Scanner and follow-up | Notes in the scanner for sales | Depends on the team | Untrained |
| Booth build too | One company, one plan | Staff only | Staff only |
Fly-in costs use the same typical AAPEX rates as the budget above. Other agencies’ pricing varies.
A short form. Asking costs nothing.
We’ll email your quote within 24 hours, usually much sooner. Need it now? Call (800) 994-8030.
A demo that changes every time confuses buyers and stretches the line. Our demonstrators learn one tested script and repeat it word for word.
A badge scan alone does not tell sales who to call first. Tag every scan as retailer, distributor, shop, fleet or engine builder.
The free buyers lunch runs 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. If the whole crew breaks then, you miss buyers walking back across the bridge. Stagger breaks.
From 3 to 5 p.m. each day, the Booth Crawl brings a wave of visitors to booths that take part. Add two hosts for that window if you join.
AAPEX and SEMA run the same week. A crew booked for both needs time to move between the two venues. Book separate crews or leave a gap between shifts.
Rather talk it through? Phone (800) 994-8030 and mention AAPEX.
One price: $85 an hour for each person, whatever the job, and every shift runs at least four hours. A demonstrator costs the same as a model or a meeting host. Because the crew is from Las Vegas, nothing is added for travel.
The exhibit hall is open Tuesday to Thursday, November 3–5, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Registration opens Monday, November 2. The show uses the Venetian Expo and the AAPEX Forum in Las Vegas.
Yes. AAPEX runs every year in Las Vegas in early November. AAPEX lists November 2–4, 2027 as its next dates, so you can plan ahead now.
No. They are separate shows held the same week in Las Vegas. AAPEX is at the Venetian Expo and AAPEX Forum, while SEMA is at the Las Vegas Convention Center. One AAPEX attendee badge also gets buyers onto the SEMA floor.
Yes, for a set demo. Our demonstrators learn one script and run it all day. Your own engineers answer deep technical questions and handle anything that needs a certified technician.
Start with one lead rep and one greeter, then add one demonstrator per working demo and a meeting host if you book line meetings. A 20×30 booth with a service bay often needs six people. The pick ticket builder on this page does the math.
Each badge gets scanned, then the rep runs through a short list of questions you sign off on. Every lead leaves with a channel label, such as retailer, warehouse distributor, program group, service chain, shop, fleet or engine builder, which tells sales where to start.
Four to six weeks before November 3 gives you the widest choice. AAPEX shares its week with SEMA, so Las Vegas event staff book up fast. Short notice is fine too: we can fill most rush orders with 72 hours’ warning.
Right here. Our AAPEX people live around Las Vegas and make their own way to Sands Avenue and the AAPEX Forum, so your quote never includes airfare or rooms. The rate is $85 an hour for each person, four hours minimum.
Yes. A single shift on your peak day works, as does cover only for the afternoon Booth Crawl or a product launch. Any booking is at least four hours a person, and extra days can be added once you see how day one goes.
Often, yes. Spanish speakers are easiest to find in Las Vegas, and we look for other languages when you ask early. There is no surcharge for a second language.
Yes. We send separate crews to each venue, or one crew with enough time between shifts to move between venues. Tell us both booth numbers when you book.
During AAPEX week we hold backup people in Las Vegas who already have your brief. One of them reaches your booth inside two hours. Miss that window and the shift is on us.
No. Exhibitors book Purple Exhibits on their own; the show does not assign us. AAPEX and its co-owners, the Auto Care Association and MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers, have no link to our company.
Yes. Purple designs and builds exhibits for the Venetian Expo, service bay demos and parts walls included, and one project manager can cover both the booth and the people in it.
Aftermarket brands host buyers away from the floor during AAPEX and SEMA week. The same Las Vegas crew can cover those events.
Greeting at the door, table plans and take-home gifts for distributor and retail guests.
We send: Hostesses, greetersInvite-only line meetings, with names checked at the door.
We send: Suite hosts, check-in staffSeating, product prep and a tidy press table before the unveiling.
We send: Product presenters, door hostsName badges, coat check and a VIP list for your best accounts.
We send: Brand ambassadors, hostsSign-in, handouts and timekeeping for technician training.
We send: Registration staff, room hostsStaffing by show
Las Vegas and this show
Staffing by role
Purple Exhibits is an independent exhibit and staffing company. We staff exhibitors at AAPEX; we are not affiliated with the Auto Care Association or MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers, the co-owners of AAPEX. Show names belong to their owners.
Send your booth number and demos. An AAPEX price within one business day.
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