I am only going to get to attend for one day this year due to work.  I am not signed up for any events.  Literally all I am going to do is go out for my one day to visit the exhibitor hall to shop.  To do so I am going to have to purchase a one-day $75 dollar badge and so is my GF, who is only going so she can spend time with me.

This is outrageously expensive.

Why is there no badge for one day that allows people like me to just visit the exhibitor hall to do some shopping?

This is almost enough to get me to change my mind about going.  As it stands right now, I am not sure if I will make the trip or not, despite already putting in for that day off.

Could you go on Sunday and get the reduced rate Family Pass?

I've always wondered why they didn't do a badge that doesn't allow you to play games but does allow you access to look around and see what's there -- so people could get a feel of what Gen Con is like without having to pay so much or for friends and family that don't want to game but want to accompany a gaming other (I see that being very beneficial for parents with older kids).  I seem to remember Origins doing something like that years ago.

With 60k people attending as it is, I imagine they just don't have the need or desire to lower ticket costs for access to what is a pretty major part of the convention. Not to mention it would mean having to keep track of a whole different class of badges (gaming only, exhibit hall only, whatever). I'm not aware of any other major cons that split it up like that, but there might be some.

I want to be there on the first day, since that is the day I have off work, and so I can get a chance at getting the new items I'm interested in.

Gen Con used to have something exactly like that.  One was a Player Badge and one was a visitor badge.
http://www.lorianncurley.com/VirtualGC.html

But, for a non-snarky answer:  Because the dealer hall is the main attraction of the convention.  Should I receive a discount because I only intend to play in 1 event?  how about 2 events?  3 events?  When am I attending enough events for it to warrant the additional fee?  Even if there were no events I was interested in, I would be attending for the dealer hall, and there are enough people like me to warrant the price.

For another non snarky answer: because the dealer hall isn't *just* a dealer hall. You can demo(thus playing games) browse art, browse books, request and receive autographs and little drawnigs. A non-gaming badge would then also get you admission into all the free seminars, costume contest, dance, and movies.

You get quite a lot for the basic badge. Which is why to participate in events...you pay extra, thus NOT penalizing those like yourself who do not partake in events.  Look at it this way. You're actually getting quite a discount!

About Origins, I live in Columbus and have taken advantage of their Exhibitor's Hall only badge two or three years ago. However as far as I know they no longer offer one either.

The alternatives seem to be:

• Do not attend GenCon at all and make your purchases separately online; for items that premier at GenCon, wait until everyone else can buy them.
  
• Attend GenCon without your friend and save $75.
  
• Attend GenCon with your friend and do some events after the Exhibit Hall closes. This option seems ideal, as events are not that expensive. Value added! Make a day of it. Take lots of pictures. Attend seminars. This will reduce your hourly cost for entertainment (depending on the number of hours after the Exhibit Hall closes you choose to stay and attend events, take pictures, etc.).
  

Sorry...none of these explanations holds water with me.  Having to drive from Columbus, Ohio to Indianapolis, Indiana to pay $75 each just to get in the door to do a little shopping is ludicrous.  This is why all my gamer friends refuse to go to GenCon as well.  They hate the lousy entrance fee.  I will not be there for 8 hours.  I am typically done and out within 4-5 hrs.

I have went to GenCon many times over the years and am having trouble justifying the crazy entrance fees anymore.

I think I'll just enjoy my day off at home and save the cash.

Gen Con is a 4-day convention with over 16,000 events.  It's not designed to be a quickie 4-hour shopping trip.  Most people who attend stay for a least a couple of days.  Those who only want to shop, can attend on Sunday, where the price is $45 for an entire family.  You're choosing to not attend the day that is designed for casual visitors and then complaining about the price.  Makes no sense.

I wonder how hardit would be to add a second set on 1 day badges that don't give access to the event registration system. They could use the same plastic badges for them and add another line to the badge.  The event registration system would know this, and not allow that person to get any event tickets