Maybe we should consider asking for a recent paystub/LES before quoting a price.

Interesting thread.

Controversial but interesting.

I just don't get it And I'm just staying out of it for now

A company build 7-8 boats (of one model) a year and we want menu pricing???? I LOVE the 37 AT and have a pretty good idea what it would take to buy one. I also know I don't have that kinda money right now but that's another issue to be corrected by the next lottery drawing!!!

most of the guys laying out 200-300k for a new boat are middle to upper middle class?

First, this is all theoretical. I'm not saying that AT should do this. I'm just throwing ideas out there for the purpose of conversation.

In my idea, this wouldn't be "menu pricing". The price would change on a day to day basis as the cost of doing business changes.

i'm simply saying that it would be interesting to see someone come out with a pricing model that had their profit built in without asking the huge msrp as an initial haggle starting point. It would be a no haggle price and could be shown to the buyer. "We are paying this to build your boat, We tack on X% to cover our expenses and make a fair profit. This IS the price, non-negotiable".

And yes, i think that a lot of people buying 200-300k boats are making 150-200ish a year...upper middle class.

obviously, i don't know that by any study. but i've lived on the water for 28 years and have known probably hundreds of people with these boats. Very very few have been multimillionaires.

Someone mentioned Brunswick doing this and I remember that several builders have. Bayliner did it with the 17 ft runabout. Had a 135hp outboard and a trailer for $9,995 just a couple years ago. Yamaha did it with a 15 jetboat too, can't remember the price. A buddy sold them at a dealership and was a little miff'ed because the published price cut them to about 10%. He said they couldn't stay in business ifthey sold all their boats at that percentage and epople came in the door expecting to negotiate that price that they saw on TV.

I agree that it would be VERY hard to break people of habit of trying to negotiate on the price.

The bayliner thing is a little different though. They advertised a price. What i'm talking about is advertising a percentage.

"There's no standard definition of "middle class," so we looked at households with pre-tax income of between $25,000 and $75,000 -- a group occupying roughly the middle half of the Census income distribution tables."

"The professional middle class, also called the upper middle class, consists mostly of white collar professionals most of whom are well-paid salaried employees--highly educated salaried professionals whose work is largely self-directed. Many have graduate degrees with educational attainment serving as the main distinguishing feature of this class. Household incomes commonly may exceed $100,000, with some smaller one-income earners household having incomes in the high 5-figure range,[2][12][13] and hold college, often graduate degrees, and earn salaries considerably above the national median."

Housing prices may range all over the country, but I just can't see how someone who makes $150k a year affords a 200+ boat.
Owning a 350k house and a 250k boat? I just dont see it.
That doesn't seem to make sense or be a good financial plan.

I posted a thread in the GD forum to get an idea, but i don't think it'll get alot of attention.

If the auto industry won't adapt to that standard, where they are selling hundreds of thousands of units, how can the boating industry, where they are selling 100s of units.

I think if Saturn took off, and became an industry leader, other auto companies would follow, then maybe there could be some trickle down.

But no one will like to advertise their margins...
Walmart won't even do it.

You by a pair of jeans at Banana Republic... you wouldn't be happy seeing the sign that says "The markup on these jeans is only 125%".