Re: Boat show Prices?
 

No Offense Buyafountain.com but you are living in that crappy world called sorry boat dealer mentallty. I stop doing business with these type of boat dealers. This business practice has to change if you want your industry to be reputable. If I have a Mercuser problem and its under warrenty and you are a authorized Merq. dealer the network is setup that you have to service it or Mercrusier will get a phone call from me which in turn will lower your rates paid by Merq. They dont tout the 2500 authorized dealers network to keep you on the water around the country to have YOU have a bad attitude about fixiing thier product which you as an athorized dealer are REQIRED to. If not that is bad business practices. I for one would not bring my boat to you for with an attitude like that it would never get fixed in a reasonable time and probably not get fixed right anyway...If I ran my Buisiness like most (not all) boat dealerships did I would be out of buisness...

Re: Boat show Prices?
 

With respect the servicing a boat from another dealer issue, the dealer that had your business 3 times deserves to lose it for 10G's. He WAS trying to stick you. He should have charged you at or slightly below the average price on the market if you were happy with his service and wished to continue to do business with his outfit.

Re: Boat show Prices?
 

Wait a minute-

All of these issues have gotten mixed up in a soup. I was talking about a specific customer that caused problems for our sales department and then wants us to help him after he cost us money and did not buy a boat. I have made our service manager meet me on Sunday to swap a drive on a boat that was bought 300 miles away from us from another dealer. The guy was on vacation and his family was upset because they brought the boat here for a week and the drive goes the first day. I had the thing overnight Saturday delivery to us. I charged the guy normal flat rate and no overtime. I consistently invest in goodwill with boat owners hoping to get their business in the future.

Also, I don't think it is fair to say "I am stuck in Crappy Boat Dealer Mentality". That's a low blow. I am trying to debate issues with you guys in the spirit of being a fellow enthusiast with knowledge of what is going on behind the scenes. You may not like it, but some of these things are the truth. Please stop mixing everything up and blowing things up.

Re: Boat show Prices?
 

Those Twins -

What business are you in? I will give you an example of what I mean.

Re: Boat show Prices?
 

As a buyer and I have bought many boats and will buy more.I find you use of the term BOTTOM FEEDER very offensive, probably because you would have termed me one. I like many other research price pretty hard, This helps me buy things others aren't able to and allows me to trade into something much easier.

If this makes me bottom feeder so be it, but you will lose alot of business and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$over this including mine.

Re: Boat show Prices?
 

buyafountain.com
you're the one reading "picking a fight" into this...

did you read the first line of my last post? Aren't you willing to play nice?

Getting a little edgy as I call you out on your comments?
I'm not.

I'm simply representing a different position (obviously a buyer's...you know the one spending the money), outlook on the marketplace, and citing diferent circumstances than those you have brought forth.

O.K., let me more specific, seeing how YOU are bringing the semantics of specific wording into this...
Tell me you have not sold a boat to someone outside your area based primarily on price. The oustanding service you offer being a given.
That a buyer hasn't come to you from out of your immediate sales territory looking for a better price...and you gave it to him, and made the sale?

Go ahead...I'm calling BS on that one, and see my last post as to what that means about the credibility of some of your commentary in this thread.

"no, I'm sorry...I can't sell you that 42 lightning 'cause there's another dealer closer to your home adress in another direction, and that would just be unethical of me".
Claiming this would be your position is a pretty "bold statement"!

and when you did make that sale, what were your thoughts as you watched a boat leave the yard for a home hundreds of (or more) miles away? (see your earlier comment)
That he'd tow a big distance back to you in two weeks for his first oil change...yea right. :rolleyes:

Re: Boat show Prices?
 

Wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Defintion of a bottom feeder is the following:

You speak with a buyer on the phone. He comes in for an appointment. You show the boat. He goes and talks with his wife. He comes in and wants to make a deal. You arrive at a number and put an agreement together. He leaves. He calls back the next day and says "I want the boat, but I found a dealer in florida that will sell it for X$'s less". You then agree to a new number. You begin prepping the boat. He calls the next day and says "You included the warranty, right?". You say no and he says "well the florida dealer was including it" You agree to include the warranty. You then schedule the closing and he arrives with less money than he needs (a very small amount less - like 500 or 1,000). You now have installed electronics, etc. spent many hours and dollars to do the deal and what do you do??? You either take the deal and finish it or don't take the deal and walk.

What would you do in your business if a customer did this and then came back later for your help in fixing a boat he finally bought???????? It happens every day. Again, you guys are mixing yourselves up in the slim percentage of buyers that fall into this category.

Re: Boat show Prices?
 

OK, challenge accepted. Put out a post to the board and ask for names of people who bought boats from me out of my territory based on price. I have sold boats out of my area under 2 circumstances:

1. The buyer had a bad experience with their local dealer and the price was not an issue. They just refused to do business with them anymore.

2. There was no dealer in their area that would be considered local (say more than 100 miles??)

Your ball Rippem.

Re: Boat show Prices?
 

and I'd appreciate you not putting words into my mouth. I never said, or alluded to shopping every dealer in the country against each other, but if I hear of a great price on a boat 3 states away, I'm not gonna think twice about closing a deal because you won't change my oil or do me any favors. Get real...if you think some Saturday save is worth 10 or 20 thousand dollars to the average guy...you're wrong, and been hanging out with the big player$ too long. :rolleyes:
Also, I see you're getting a feel for wher the buyers are at in this thread, and softening your previously hardcore position and wording with goodwill stories now. :D
It pays to know your audience first...

Re: Boat show Prices?
 

Yes, that's the definition of ethics. Both to customers and the agreements made with the manufacturers, as crazy as that sounds in this cut-throat world we live in.