All the discussion on these boards regarding MasterCraft versus Malibu are very entertaining. I would like all the Malibu enthusiasts to answer this question. If Malibu is equal to MasterCraft then why is the average dealer margin on a MC ~18% and the average dealer margin on a Malibu ~35%? It seems to me that boats of equal quality and workmanship would have a similar manufacturer's cost. Dealers would in turn be able to offer each boat on its own merit, rather than what really motivates a dealer and that is ...MONEY and most importantly how much they can make of it on each boat. If your business was to sell boats and you could make twice as much selling one over the other, what would you do? I guarantee boat dealers will be all over this post, but it is accurate and unbiased. The bottom line is that all boats have their own inherent problems. People expect quality similar to that of a car but that is virtually impossible due to inferior R&D and quality control budgets. Malibu makes a quality boat, as does Correct Craft, after that there is a bit of a drop off. However, they are all looking up at MasterCraft in terms of overall quality, workmanship and value. The numbers don't lie.
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