What's with the Marine Dealers

[macca]

The boat dealers annoy me!!

We are in the age where we are able to access the internet for information.

Why do boat dealers supply so little information on boat prices on their web sites?

I believe the boating scene is in the middle of a huge wave of interest especially due to the freshwater fishing becoming more popular thru the capture of bass and golden perch.

If I were a boat dealer I would be advertising and displaying suitable boat packages for the pursuits of this new wave of interest.

I have little time during business hours for price hunting.

When is a dealer going to get their act together and produce a web site where this information can be available across the web?

I just love the Quintrex and Stacer web sites, it would be great if a dealer could do the same with recommended retail prices.

So how about it, when can I expect this to happen ??

Macca

[mick]

i agree

i deal with boat dealers every day.
unfortunatley i am one
there are a few out there who are genuniunely good people. take a look at www.gladstoneboats.com and tell me what you think. i would appreciate some constructive critisism also if you tell me where you are and what you are looking for i may be able to point you to another honest broker.

mick

[Kerry]

Prices are generally flexible and dependent on many things. I suppose prices are one of those fluctuating things and with so many different options and configurations which one can specifically customize to ones own requirements, there's probably not a simply this is the cost with so many options.

Secondhand boats now they are different in that what you see is what you get and there's many sites around with listings and prices like http://boatpoint.ninemsn.com.au/mark...edboathome.asp

Sites like the following http://boatpoint.ninemsn.com.au/nbi/NBISearch.asp give just about all the relevent information (including dealers) and specifications for one to come up with what desired options one really wants/needs then with something specific locate the dealers (by whatever means) and have it priced.

To some extent not advertising new prices (if it was that simple) could also be a benefit and advantage to the buyer.

Cheers, Kerry.

[Sweetlip]

I agree with Macca. The dealers have not maximised their opportunities in this medium yet.

When I negotiated the purchase of my Quinnie in December, it was at the end of an exhaustive search phase looking at brands of boats and motors and understanding the value of accessories and add-ons like hydraulic steering.

However, at the start of that phase, what I really needed was some idea of package prices so as to know what order of $ I would be needing. None of the sites give those prices on new boat/motor/trailer packages.

They are available on selected models in magazines such as QFM but not on line.

When I actually did buy the boat, I negotiated the price by jumping in the car on one Saturday and driving to all Quinnie dealers from Noosaville to Miami and telling them exactly what I was wanting and that I was price shopping at that stage. The range of prices when I did that spanned $1300.

A few dealers responded to my emails by email and phone but my general perception was that most of these people have built websites knowing that they should but they have not yet learnt how to maximise their opportunities from the websites.

Some of the manufacturers' sites are a bit ordinary as well. The US Mercury site understands that it is selling a lifestyle but the Aussie Mercury site hasn't a clue.

Sweetlip

[krazyfisher]

you say $1300 dollars differant! When I bought my last boat a hornet the differance was $2500 first quote was $10500 and bought one for $8000 had to talk to people to get that you can not neg. with a web site

[Sweetlip]

Agreed but when you start looking for the first time, you need to know some ballpark prices and that is where websites are useful and underutilised in this space.

Sweetlip

[Flynny]

Hi SWeetlip
They annoy me too,and I am one :
The only thing I can Say is that We will have a new site up soon with all items priced ,with all options.

Cheers Flynny'(

[Struth]

Dealers don't advertise prices in the belief that it will maximise their margins. Most buyers, of course, shop around, but are forced to do it the hard way >. This wastes everybody's time, including the dealers. When buying a boat, I avoid dealers who overquote in the first instance, as this reveals their true character.

Out of interest, does anyone know what the margins typically are on tinnies and motors? I have heard wildly varying numbers.

Struth

[Flynny]

Hi Struth,
Once Again I seem to be defending
people that don't deserve defense.
However, let me say that the margin in boats is Shithouse, if the huge price differences I see published on this board and others are right(and I
have no reason to believe otherwise)
Someone does not know how to quote
From time to time all engine manufacturers decide that they want
a bigger market share,as a result they discount motors,currently this has a lot to do with the exchange rate
the yen and USD both varying against
our dollar on a daily basis.Without going into exchange rate offsets,and,dollar contracts , both of which I know bugger all about.
Bottom line Merc 4 strs are currently dearer than Yammies(due to EFI)
Most dealers selling a given brand pay about the same for their boats.
Trailers brand to brand vary by very little.
Believe me there are dealers around that try to get 70's type margins out of their product,in the new millenium the world is a very small place!!
Any dealer that thinks that his customers won't shop him all over Australia is a mug!!
Dealers have a couple of choices ,they can either be cheaper,(in which case they will probably go broke), or better!!!
I could waffle on about this forever but I guess the fairest way for all concerned is to offer good service , good advice,be in tune with what the customers want,and charge reasonable prices..
I'm Exhausted Flynny