Utah Boat Show no pricing WTF?

It was very disappointing to see no pricing not even MSRP on any of the wakeboard boats except Malibu. I guess in this tough economy Utah boat dealers arent feeling the pain or they are trying to hide it until they get you behind the curtain and try the hard sell.

Props to Taylors boats for having their boat show pricing on Malibu clearly visible and a payment amount if financed with terms visible.

You could of just asked. Why show a price to someone who isn't a serious buyer. There are a lot of people there just to look at what is new with no intention of buying a boat. In my opinion showing no price is better than showing just MSRP. You are more likely to scare people off with a high MSRP price.

That is too bad. I don't understand the whole "hiding the price" thing. (I guess I do understand the "behind the curtain hard sell thing", though)

I'm glad that Taylor/Malibu stepped up. Post some pictures!

Not sure this is just a Utah thing... Our local shows haven't had pricing for years. Too many "Whistling Gophers" (The guys that come into the booth with the huge beer gut, three bags overflowing with EVERY piece of literature from the show, and casually ask 'how much does this one go 'fer?' To which the salesman replies, followed by 'whewwww! That's more than I paid for my house!') If any of you have worked a boat show, you know exactly who I am talking about.

In all reality, if you go to the boat show, are you going to arbitrarily buy a boat just based on the window sticker? Not meant to bash, just very curious. I would venture a guess that the typical wake buyer goes to the show with their top two or three choices, spends an hour or so in each one, and then makes their decision based on the boat, the salesman and the dealership.

^^^^^^
Not to be confused with the "Born Again Gopher"...where after asking "what's this one go'fer?" replies with a loud and clear "Jesus Christ!"!

HAHAHAHA

I've never heard that one before, but wow is that accurate!

Actually I have worked two boat shows so I know what you mean about guys wasting time but I think without pricing it would be even worse than if someone saw at least MSRP to gauge where the VLX is in comparision to the SAN210 etc.....

18 years in this nutcase of a business...I got material for days!

At my show they listed prices clearly on about 90% of boats. The only ones that didn't show the price were the Mastercrafts. That wasn't a problem however, you just asked the sales guy and he'd tell you.

Jim - Again, didn't mean in any way to bash. With that said, I also 100% agree with what Brett stated above. First of all, we all know that these boats don't sell at MSRP. Ever. By posting the $110K MSRP on the CC Byerly Boat, or $110K on the PWT X-Star, all you would do is make our sport APPEAR to be even more of "Rich People Only" sport. (Disclaimer: both MSRPs listed above are simply guesses)

Pricing at a show is extremely tough, there are multiple thought lines. MSRP is too high, will scare away buyers who are on the fence in terms of price. Then again, posting your rock bottom, honest to God show price usually backfires, because the vast majority of people will still want to work down from that price, so they can feel better about "negotiating the best deal". Most dealers who display a price will leave a little wiggle margin in the price to deal with that guy.

Hahahaha some guy said that about our Byerly boat.
That's more then I paid for my 1st house.

Meathead: You've probably already seen them, but watch this commercial :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGZxaDKmtwE as well as the related videos shown. Working in sales, Im sure you'll see the humor!

Ronix One. I live in the Raleigh area and those commercials are the best ad campaign ever. There are a ton that air on local radio. The dealerships even sold Badger dolls for Christmas. Great stuff.



(Message edited by aarond0083 on February 05, 2009)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG8cdMutLwA&feature=related

(Message edited by aarond0083 on February 05, 2009)

As a consumer, I expect to see a pricing sheet. It would help me make comparisons between brands at first without having to discuss it with a salesman. At least for me, I like to do my own shopping before speaking with someone about the product.

I realize that salesman don't want to deal with frivolous people who have no sincere intention of buying a boat, but a pricing sheet won't scare away real customers. People do research on the new models and MSRP's before going to boat shows so dealers shouldn't have to hide prices on their inventory.

Just my .02

It was interesting to see the 08' mastercrafts up for "auction."

If you are looking to buy a boat you should already have a good idea of what the price should be. If you show price, sales people walk around, go back to there booth and slash there prices. It is a cut throat way to sale a boat, but this happens all the time. Dealers are getting the smallest margins they have in years. I hope we are all around next year. Good luck to all!!!

Hey Marcus, that makes sense. Has that been going on at all this year? I'm bringing my wife and kids tonight to check it out so I'll stop by and finally put a face with the name.

I agree with you 100%, good luck to all because I don't wish any local dealer to go under like a lot are across the country.

At the MC booth in Seattle, you could ask them how much a boat would be and they would tell you. It wasn't a big deal.

The dealer can't bring all their boats to the show. They generally just bring their newest models that are totally loaded with options - which will be the most expensive boats they have. The price tag of the latest model loaded with options could scare off a lot of people who may easily be able to afford a different boat back at the dealer lot with less options, last years model, used, etc....

Example
Customer: How much for the 2009 PWT Edition X-Star?
Sales Guy: It is $$$$.

Customer: Holy Cow, that is more than I make in a year.

Sales Guy: Would you be interested in a 2008 X-Star we have back at the lot, or maybe a 2008 X2 - which we could sell for $$. What features are most important to you....

Jim ~~ Where the hell were ya, I was there last night!

Marcus ~~ Thanks!

Dave - spot on man, spot on. Although, see "Born Again Gopher" above for another common customer reaction...

The "secret" pricing game goes well beyond the boat show. Correct Craft is the worst and I assume they are restricted from advertising any prices (thus the "see dealer" that follows any CC advertisement). Even when you do get a price from a dealer, it's normally a MSRP that is 30,000 above actual cost.

I e-mailed a CC dealer one time and it was like pulling teeth just to get a price for a boat he had in stock. His response was that he had to "protect himself from fraud". I dont know how giving a price opens anyone up to fraud.

This process is unlike any other purchase I have ever made. I dont enjoy playing the lets make a deal game in the blind. I ended up buying used because I was not happy with this process. I feel the whole thing is really unnecessary.

The next post you see will be some dealer saying that I should have payed what I felt the boat is worth and that I should support my local dealer.

I’ll back you on this one. New to the boat purchasing seen, I can say that shopping for a new boat was a painful experience. I have a background in finance and am well aware of overhead and variable costs. The BS from dealers and the mark up’s, does not add to the purchasing experience. The dealer that made me feel the best, with the product I felt the best about, won my business. The inboard market has a very dark side and it’s partially fed by the BS passed on this forum about how to buy!!! I was one of those folks with a bag full of brochures and was unsure of which direction to go I/O or V drives. In the end, a four winds dealer was the most helpful clarifying what I needed with out any of the arrogance I witnessed with the inboard market.

I think its funny to hear the dealers on this thread joking about the boat show consumer ("Whistling Gophers" & "Born Again Gopher"). What do you think the uneducated consumer should say after you tell them a X-Star's MSRP at $110,000? (Btw, that IS more than I paid for my first home about ten years ago) When people make comments like that about your product, it should instill fear because thats the sound of bankruptcy.

Fat Body....

We aren't making fun of the "un-educated consumer", but you have to remember that "Geeeee, that cost more than my first house!" was only slightly amusing the first 2450 times we heard it...after a while, it just kind of makes us smile. The point was, you can always tell the guy who's gonna say that...they have a look to them, the "Boat Show Brochure Collector", who asks the price question to both the Mastercraft guy and also the guy selling 38 foot Sport Yachts...they have no interest in buying either, but they love to break out the line for all their buddy's amusement. No decent salesman would ever begrudge a legitimate buyer asking about the price of his product.

I saw a Tige with an MSRP over $100,000. I thought that was interesting. They had it marked down to $80,000 though. The sales guy was a little ticked when I laughed at the price.

Meathead, the problem is there have been salesman who can't tell the difference. I have a friend who actually went into a local dealership here in Utah with a check in hand with every intention of buying a boat and the owner wouldn't even get out of his chair in his office to help him out. (no other salesmen were around so he tried talking to the owner). Not a good move on the owner's part, or any salesmen for that matter. My friend went to another dealership and bought a boat the very next day, and will never give them another chance to make it right because of the way he was treated.

And unfortunately, you see a lot of salesmen act that way.

So Meathead, if I understand you correctly (and maybe I don't), if Joe Consumer doesn't intend to buy a particular boat or whatever the product might be, then the price of said item is none of his business and he should just keep quiet? This reminds me of the uppity sales clerk in some department store. It makes me just want to say to them, "Bud, you're just peddling this stuff for someone else, you didn't make it and it doesn't belong to you." If someone wants to try on an expensive suit jacket or inquire about the cost of a super mega yacht with no real intention of buying either, what is the harm? Sometimes, the potential buyer won't be that easy to spot. Maybe they just won the lottery or inherited a fortune. If I misread or something, then just forget the rant above, but it just seems if everyone put the price of their boats on display, it would make it easier on the potential boat buyer as well as save you guys from those old lines that you hear over and over.

Seems like some of you guys want to pick a fight with me...I never said consumers aren't entitled to know pricing...In fact, in my store the prices are clearly posted, and the first thing you see walking in the showroom is a dry erase board with all the current close outs, specials, and promotions. Unlike some, we don't display MSRP and then "work down", we display our sell price. Everyone gets it. The lay down who walks in looking to buy today pays the same price as the guy who negotiates for weeks.

However, the thread was originally about boat shows. My attempt at "humor" applied to the show environment, and that is all. Of course if someone takes the time to drive to my showroom, than that person is automatically a qualified buyer. For that buyer, the store and my staff is his to use as he pleases. He can let his kids climb in all the boats (without destroying them, of course), ask any questions, and have free run of the store and staff.

Shows are different....unfortunately, some folks feel that paying 15 bucks to get into a show gives them the right to let their kids run out of control thru every booth, touch every boat, flip every switch, and generally terrorize the product. 10 days at a major show can put some serious wear and tear on an expensive boat, and the dealer is forced to cover that out of his pocket. Unfortunately, 9 times out of 10, those kids are the property of the "whistling gopher".

One other point...often at large metropolitan shows, you may have multiple dealerships working the same product. In those cases, MSRP will typically be posted, because the dealer's don't always agree on what a "show price" should be...different dealers work off different margins quite often.

Meathead, not trying to pick a fight with you, just stating personal experiences from the consumer point of view, regardless if it's the boat show or your store. To me, doesn't matter what the location is, a consumer should be treated the same.

With that said, I completely agree with you with regards to parents letting their kids jump all over the boats at the show. Pisses me off to no end! I can't believe that parents would actually think that that kind of behavior is ok.

We had the price clearly shown on the Epic, at the Utah Show.

Yes you did Kip, remember noticing that when I was talking with you. Hope the show turned out well for you all.

Meathead...by chance do you have any hot chicks working at your store? Joking.