Priority Points Criteria

The New Exhibitor Area is a high-traffic focal point for retailers and buyers looking for new products and features. Learn more about the New Exhibitor Area. These booths are limited to 10x10’s.

New Exhibitors will be able to submit an application for booth space starting in January 2026. You must be a NACS member to exhibit in the New Exhibitor Area. Become a Supplier Member.

1. NACS Supplier and PEI Members can apply for booth space based on the Priority Group assigned in December 2025. 
2. As each Priority Group opens, applicants will have 48 hours to submit their online application. Please Note: Any exhibitor that misses their assigned Priority Group application deadline will be placed at the bottom of their group for assignment, or at the top of the next group to be assigned.

3. Online applications received by their Priority Group deadline with deposits will be sorted and assigned as follows:

• Priority points (highest to lowest)
• Tie-breaker:
  • For the new/first time exhibitors, tie break goes to whoever became a NACS member first. 
  • For returning exhibitors, tie break goes to whoever has been exhibiting at the NACS show the longest.
• Applications received after the Priority Group application deadline will be assigned on first-received, first-assigned basis.

4. Paid exhibitors will receive booth assignment confirmations via e-mail within 3-4 business days.

Former Priority Points Earning System

Points through 2025 have been calculated based on the following criteria.

• Annual Membership (10 points) – per year of membership with NACS or PEI (maximum credit for one organization membership)
• NACS Show Exhibitor (5 points) – per NACS Show exhibit year participated. Primary, paid booth contracts only. Co-exhibitors and cancellations do not receive exhibit points.
• Booth size purchased per year(scaled points)
  • 3 points – 800+ sq ft
  • 2 points – 400-799 sq ft
  • 1 point – 100-399 sq ft

Priority points were calculated based on NACS and PEI membership and exhibitor engagement since 2004.

BONUS POINTS

• Advertisement (2-8 points) – Advertisers in the NACS Daily e-newsletter, Convenience.org website, NACS Magazine, Cool New Products Guide, NACS Show Onsite Guide, The NACS Show Daily, PEI Journal, and PEI Directory will receive bonus points based on paid advertising through October 31, 2025 (applied towards 2026 booth selection). Maximum 8 bonus points earned.
• NACS Exhibitor Pre-Show Prep Experience (2 points) – Participate in the complimentary exhibitor education program, site visit, and networking event and earn bonus points. Points awarded based on attendance and event survey completion. Maximum 2 bonus points earned (limit one bonus per exhibiting company).
• NACS Ambassador or PEI Find Red (2 points) – participate in the Ambassador or Find Red program with perfect attendance at all timeslots reserved and earn bonus points. Maximum 2 bonus points earned (limit one bonus per exhibiting company

New Allocation

Starting November 1st, 2025, a new earning system is in place.

Priority points are calculated based on the trailing 5 years accumulation and determine the next year’s booth selection, i.e. points accumulated from November 1st, 2021 through October 31st, 2026 will determine a supplier’s point totals for 2027 NACS Show booth selection.

Points are earned annually between November 1st through October 31s of the following year.

2027 Priority Points

More than the NACS Show

By changing our points system, we’re ensuring companies have a more equitable and fair chance to be at the NACS Show. This will allow companies on the waitlist to have more opportunities to strengthen their booth selection while recognizing more tenured exhibitors.

This system provides additional opportunities to earn points outside of the NACS Show and support members’ investment and engagement with NACS.

NACS is the premier industry association for retailers and suppliers in the convenience and fuel industry, offering advocacy, industry insights and data, and networking and professional advancement.

Learn more about NACS:

• Supplier Membership
• Advocacy
• Education and Events
• Industry Insights and Data

• Missed Submission Deadline - Any exhibitor that misses their Priority Group deadline will assigned after all others or at the top of the next bracket to be assigned.
• Competitors - Every attempt will be made to ensure that exhibitors are not located next to listed competitors. Applicants may list up to two major competitors for separation requests on their Exhibit Space Application.
• Picking Space for Other Exhibitors – Companies are prohibited from picking booth space for each other, except in the case when one company wholly owns another. Proof of ownership may be requested for verification. The company name displayed on all booths will be restricted to only that of the eligible member company contracting booth space.
• Priority Points Cannot Be Purchased. Only confirmed, paid exhibitors will accrue priority points. Fully paid booths that have been cancelled and booth shares are not eligible to earn points. Review the Bonus Points section for other ways to accumulate points throughout the year.

PENALTY POINTS

• Show Rules Violations (1 point per infraction) – Failure to comply with booth display guidelines (i.e. excessive display height, space restrictions), and failure to adhere to exhibitor conduct policies (i.e. marketing outside of booth, excessive noise). Penalty: 1 point for each violation accompanied by a written citation. IMPORTANT NOTE: If, for example, two of your representatives are marketing outside your booth, that is two infractions and two points. NACS reserves the right to disallow exhibiting privileges for continued and/or multiple violations of these policies.