Marketplace for CES Exhibitors: Building Discovery and Lead Capture in RN

UUnknown

2026-02-14

8 min read

Build a React Native CES show-floor marketplace: discovery, in-app demos, scheduling, offline lead capture, and CRM-ready export.

Hook: Cut show-floor friction — capture qualified leads before the noise takes them

Trade shows like CES compress a year of product discovery into a few noisy days. Exhibitors lose leads because of slow sign-ups, poor search, and manual exports. Product teams and event organizers need a marketplace app that drives discovery, runs in-app demos, schedules meetings, and delivers clean exports to sales teams — all with the offline reliability and performance users expect in 2026.

The short story (inverted pyramid)

Build a mobile-first, offline-capable marketplace for CES exhibitors with React Native by combining: performant lists and search, embedded demos (video/AR/WebView), a frictionless lead-capture flow (with QR/NFC scanning and passkey-ready auth), calendar scheduling, and reliable lead export (CSV/CRM webhooks). Use a starter kit that includes UI components, auth, offline sync, and a serverless webhook layer so exhibitors get usable leads in minutes.

Why now — 2026 trends shaping show-floor marketplaces

On-device UX and privacy: Passkeys and platform-level privacy became mainstream in 2025 — users prefer fast, private authentication on-device.
Hybrid demos: AR/3D and WebXR demos deployed at booths are common, so apps must host or deep-link to in-app experiences.
Edge and offline-first: Edge sync and offline-first designs (Realm, WatermelonDB, Supabase Realtime) ensure leads are captured even with congested show-floor networks.
Serverless integrations: Vendors expect instant delivery to CRMs using serverless functions — exhibitors want webhook-first exports (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive).
Performance expectations: React Native apps using Hermes, inline requires, and list virtualization are the baseline for fluid show-floor interactions.

Core features for a CES exhibitor marketplace

Exhibitor discovery: fast search, filters, and geolocation to find booths.
In-app demos: video, deep-linked WebXR/AR viewers, or light native experiences.
Lead capture: quick forms, QR/NFC scanning, business-card OCR, and explicit consent capture.
Scheduling: meeting requests with calendar invites and availability blocks.
Export & integrations: CSV, vCard, and CRM webhooks; audit trails for compliance.
Offline-first sync: queue captures locally and sync when connectivity returns.

Architecture blueprint — patterns that scale

Frontend (React Native)

React Native 0.72+ (or latest stable) with Hermes for JS performance.
Expo managed or bare workflow depending on native modules (VisionCamera, AR). Expo with EAS is viable for many cases in 2026.
UI: reusable component library (design tokens, dark mode, accessibility). Use React Navigation, Reanimated, Gesture Handler.
Data: TanStack Query for remote state; local-first DB (Realm or WatermelonDB) for offline lead queues.
Search: Algolia or Typesense for instant search + typo tolerance, or server-side full-text if budget constrained.

Backend & integrations

Serverless API layer (Vercel, AWS Lambda, Cloud Run) to host webhooks and CRM connectors.
Primary datastore: Postgres (managed) + Prisma or Hasura for GraphQL if you need flexible queries.
Realtime & sync: Supabase Realtime or custom WebSocket/Edge functions for live booth availability and schedule updates.
Media hosting: CDN (Cloudflare, S3 + CloudFront) for demo videos and large assets.
Analytics: event-driven pipeline (Segment, Snowplow) feeding warehouse for lead scoring and exhibitor metrics.

Security & compliance

PII encryption at rest and transit; role-based access to exports.
Consent capture and retention policy tuned for GDPR/CPRA.
Audit logs for lead exports and admin actions.

Starter kit checklist — what your boilerplate should include

Authentication: passkeys-ready flow, optional SSO for enterprise exhibitors.
Listings & search: card components, filter UI, Algolia/Typesense integration example.
Lead capture flow: quick add, business-card OCR example, QR/NFC reading template.
Scheduling: availability UI + calendar invite generator (iCal link).
Offline sync: example using Realm or Supabase with conflict resolution patterns (local-first edge tools).
Export: CSV and JSON export endpoints, plus webhook templates for HubSpot and Salesforce.
CI/CD: EAS (Expo) or fastlane + GitHub Actions sample pipeline (tie into hardened pipelines and automated patching guidance at CI/CD security playbooks).
Monitoring: Sentry setup, usage analytics, and export validation tests.

Key implementation patterns — actionable code-first guidance

1) Fast exhibitor search (client-side + Algolia)

Use Algolia for instant, typo-tolerant search. Debounce input on the client and fall back to local index if offline.

// simplified debounce search hook
import {useState, useEffect} from 'react';
export function useDebounced(term, ms = 200) {
  const [debounced, set] = useState(term);
  useEffect(() => {
    const t = setTimeout(() => set(term), ms);
    return () => clearTimeout(t);
  }, [term, ms]);
  return debounced;
}

2) Lead capture with local queue + sync

Push every capture into a local store first; attempt sync immediately; retry and expose a sync status for admins.

// pseudo lead capture
async function captureLead(db, lead) {
  await db.leads.add({...lead, createdAt: Date.now(), synced: false});
  syncLeads();
}

async function syncLeads() {
  const unsynced = await db.leads.where('synced').equals(false).toArray();
  for (const l of unsynced) {
    try {
      await api.post('/leads', l);
      await db.leads.update(l.id, {synced: true});
    } catch (e) {
      // leave for retry
    }
  }
}

3) Export leads — CSV and CRM webhook

Provide both immediate CSV/VCF download and scheduled webhook delivery. For compliance, include consent fields in every export.

// CSV export (Node example)
const { Parser } = require('json2csv');
function csvFromLeads(leads) {
  const fields = ['name','email','title','company','consent','source','notes'];
  const parser = new Parser({ fields });
  return parser.parse(leads);
}

4) Scheduling meetings & calendar invites

Accept availability blocks from exhibitors. When a visitor requests a time, create an iCal file and send a webhook to the exhibitor's calendar integrator.

// produce an iCal string
function buildICal({start, end, summary, description, location}){
  return `BEGIN:VCALENDAR\nVERSION:2.0\nBEGIN:VEVENT\nDTSTART:${toICSDate(start)}\nDTEND:${toICSDate(end)}\nSUMMARY:${summary}\nDESCRIPTION:${description}\nLOCATION:${location}\nEND:VEVENT\nEND:VCALENDAR`;
}

UX patterns that increase conversion on the show floor

One-tap capture: prefill fields using QR/NFC or business-card OCR so visitors don’t type.
Microcopy for consent: show what data is captured and how it will be used.
Progressive disclosure: let visitors start with minimal info and upgrade details after a demo.
Visual feedback: immediate confirmation and an option to send the visitor branded materials via email or SMS.

“If it takes more than 10 seconds to capture a qualified lead on the show floor, you’ve already lost it.”

Operational concerns — reliability, exports, and exhibitor workflows

Exhibitors expect operational control: they want to download leads at will, set webhook destinations, and monitor export logs. Provide a simple admin panel and email/Slack alerts on failed deliveries.

Audit logs for every exported lead with timestamps and exporter identity.
Retry/backoff strategy on webhook failures plus dead-letter queue for manual review.
Role-based access: booth staff vs. exhibitor admins vs. event organizers.

Recommended open-source & managed components (2026)

React Navigation, Reanimated, Gesture Handler — navigation & motion.
TanStack Query — data fetching & cache control.
Realm or WatermelonDB — offline-first local DBs with conflict handling.
Algolia / Typesense — instant search.
VisionCamera / MLKit wrappers — QR, barcode and OCR capture (use managed plugins or Expo config plugins).
Hermes — performance-focused JS runtime for React Native.
EAS (Expo Application Services) or fastlane — builds and updates (EAS Update for hot content updates).
Sentry and Datadog RUM — monitoring and client-side traces.
Portable LED kits and booth lighting recommendations for demo fidelity.

Testing, QA, and metrics

Unit test UI components (Jest + React Native Testing Library).
E2E with Detox or Playwright for mobile web demos; run smoke tests for lead capture and export flows before the show. Consider field tools like portable COMM testers & network kits during offline testing.
Track conversion funnel: search → view exhibitor → demo → capture → schedule → export. Instrument every step.

Monetization & marketplace models

Beyond lead capture, consider these revenue streams in 2026:

Featured listings & promoted search results (auction or subscription). See the Activation Playbook 2026 for sponsor-friendly models that pair featured listings with hybrid showroom activations.
Premium analytics for exhibitors: lead scoring, heatmaps of interactions.
Pay-per-demo (ticketed or metered AR experiences inside the app).
Limited runs and merchandising: limited-edition drops inspired by CES gadgets can drive exhibitor revenue.

Future-proofing: predictions for the next 2–3 years

Edge inference for lead qualification: run simple ML models on-device to predict lead quality and prioritize sync. See storage and on-device AI considerations: Storage Considerations for On-Device AI.
Decentralized identity: registrants will increasingly prefer decentralized IDs — plan for verifiable credentials.
Ubiquitous AR/WebXR demos: expect more booths to ship lightweight WebXR content that your app embeds or links into.
Composable CRM sync: exhibitors will demand plug-and-play connectors for any modern CRM via a marketplace approach.

Practical rollout plan — 8-week MVP roadmap

Week 1–2: Core data model & API, exhibitor seed data, basic search and listing UI.
Week 3–4: Implement lead capture flow (local queue + sync) and CSV export API.
Week 5: Add QR/NFC scanning and one demo embedding (video or WebView).
Week 6: Scheduling with iCal generation and calendar invites.
Week 7: Admin panel for exports, webhook settings, and access control.
Week 8: Hardening: offline testing, e2e tests, monitoring, and a dry run with pilot exhibitors. Bring field network tools and portable COMM testers for the dry run.

Starter-kit example: what's inside the repo

/packages/app — RN app with screens and sample components
/packages/server — serverless endpoints for leads, exports, and webhooks
/packages/admin — exhibitor admin UI for exports and webhooks
/docs — deployment, compliance checklist, and handbook for booth staff

Checklist for choosing a marketplace starter kit

Does it support offline lead queuing?
Are search integrations included (Algolia/Typesense examples)?
Is there a ready CRM webhook template (HubSpot/Salesforce)?
Does it include QR/Barcode/OCR examples for frictionless capture?
Is the export auditable and consent-aware?

Final takeaways — actionable summary

Start with search and lead capture — they deliver the most value fast.
Design offline-first — network failures are the norm at large events. Use local-first edge patterns like those in local-first edge tools for pop-ups.
Provide both manual and automated export paths — CSV for quick downloads, webhooks for CRM automation.
Ship a starter kit that includes auth, offline sync, search, and export to cut exhibitor setup time from days to minutes.

Call to action

Need a jumpstart? Grab our CES Exhibitor Marketplace starter kit — includes a React Native app, serverless export templates, and offline lead queueing so exhibitors can be up and running before show day. Contact us to get the repo, customize it for your event, or book a 30-minute review with our team to map your exhibitor workflows.

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Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.

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