Arrogant in defeat

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Lozzer

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I was with someone that bought a Princess over a Sunseeker at the weekend.

Apparently SS don't have to discount there big boats because they are flying out the door? Pardon..

Not a come and see us again sorry we couldn't tempt you this time.

Well done Princess, great product, great value for money.
 
Lozzer said:
Apparently SS don't have to discount there big boats because they are flying out the door?
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Should tell you something Lozzer.

Good luck to Sunseeker being able to take such a stance.

Am currently having discussions with SS for something in the more exotic range and am finding out just how extended their order book is.
 
Well at the end of the day, you pay's your money and takes your choice. I don't doubt both Princess and Sunseeker do fine products but if I felt Sunseeker were unreasonably awkward in their stance, then i'd be going elsewhere too.

The figures may be high but a customer is still a customer at the end of the day.
 
Fire99 said:
Well at the end of the day, you pay's your money and takes your choice. I don't doubt both Princess and Sunseeker do fine products but if I felt Sunseeker were unreasonably awkward in their stance, then i'd be going elsewhere too.

The figures may be high but a customer is still a customer at the end of the day.
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When people buy at the SS price levels they tend to have Brand Loyalty and are not as 'discount' minded as those that are using a strict budget and looking for the bargain boat.

In order for any manufacturer to offer substancial discounts the product has to be front loaded first.
 
DougH said:
When people buy at the SS price levels they tend to have Brand Loyalty and are not as 'discount' minded as those that are using a strict budget and looking for the bargain boat.

In order for any manufacturer to offer substancial discounts the product has to be front loaded first.
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Absolutely, I do get that. I wasn't privy to the conversation but my point is that Customer Service is still important, regardless of the price level. Sometimes a company cannot offer a decent discount but maybe be able to make up a little 'good will' with something else added into the pot.
 
Fire99 said:
but if I felt Sunseeker were unreasonably awkward in their stance, then i'd be going elsewhere too.
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By that I assume that you mean that if Sunseeker do not agree to your terms you would go elsewhere.

Remenber for any transaction there has to be a Buyer and a Seller.

Very often both parties fail to agree so there cannot always be a happy outcome.
 
DougH said:
By that I assume that you mean that if Sunseeker do not agree to your terms you would go elsewhere.

Remenber for any transaction there has to be a Buyer and a Seller.

Very often both parties fail to agree so there cannot always be a happy outcome.
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No no. This is turning into one of those written word versus spoken situation things.

I am more than aware of the old adage that for any satisfactory transaction it should be balanced between the requirements of both the buyer and the seller.

My point (which I don't think is that tricky, if i'm honest) is that it sounded like the Sunseeker rep was being somewhat up their own bottom on the deal and as such, would put me off the purchase.
 
Dough

So you are telling me that as a punter you would quite happily give over you hard earned cash without seeking money off. I dont think so.

I agree there is brand loyalty but once again people will not pay over the top when products are of equal quality.

With regard to discounts I merely said that Princess offered better value for money. Even if the product was more expensive I think it would still have offered better value.

Quite agree with you that two sides to a deal and unless both sides are content the deal is not worth having for both parties. I think they call it buyers or sellers remorse.

Once again good luck with your purchase and don't let your brand loyalty cloud your judgement, you never know there might be a better alternative.
 
I may be on my own here but am I the only person who thinks the big stuff from Sunseeker is unbelievably ugly? We left the boat in Portland for a couple of days last month and Sunseeker have a manufacturing unit at the back of the marina boat park.

I was reminded of one of those big fat gypsy wedding dresses. Layer upon layer upon layer of total design failure. A sort of fancy gateau gone horribly wrong. What are we going to do now? Bung another one of the layers on and then err.... bung another one So that it looks really fancy.

I'm sure they're a hell of boat inside and wonderfully quick but do you really want to be known as the gypsy who tarmac'd enough drives to buy a big boat? I think Your mate might have had a lucky escape :)

Henry.
 
henryf said:
I may be on my own here but am I the only person who thinks the big stuff from Sunseeker is unbelievably ugly? We left the boat in Portland for a couple of days last month and Sunseeker have a manufacturing unit at the back of the marina boat park.

I was reminded of one of those big fat gypsy wedding dresses. Layer upon layer upon layer of total design failure. A sort of fancy gateau gone horribly wrong. What are we going to do now? Bung another one of the layers on and then err.... bung another one So that it looks really fancy.

I'm sure they're a hell of boat inside and wonderfully quick but do you really want to be known as the gypsy who tarmac'd enough drives to buy a big boat? I think Your mate might have had a lucky escape :)

Henry.
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Tee Hee, beautifully put.
 
Isn't everything only worth what someone is willing to pay for it? Aside from any tone or attitude put across by the salesman (a point that he should certainly be pulled up for by SS if it was indeed the case) is there really such an issue in them not offering him a big discount as a policy? I'm not sure many companies would do it any differently if they were pretty certain that they could fill the same order with some one willing to pay more?

When you say that you personally think Princess are better value for money, a point with which I have to agree in many cases, that is your opinion, and in saying you would still feel the same if they were more expensive is that not because you feel they are a greatly superior boat and thus probably wouldn't really consider sunseeker at all? Your friend however seemed to feel they were comparable if he got a big discount, he didn't, so went elsewhere, isnt that what everyone weighs up when they buy something? How much it is worth to them? I can find a bar near me that you wont get change out of 50 euros for 2 rum and cokes, I certainly won't pay that, but judging by the amount of people they get in there a lot certainly will, and the place is still making money (quite a lot i imagine).

If it came across as arrogant I would say that it had more down to the person he was talking to rather than the company policy. If SS's orders slump soon, yes that will certainly look like the wrong decision, however if they don't fall and continue as they are wouldn't it have been the right decision to not offer them for less? We all make decisions, your friend and Sunseeker included, on the best information we have at the time, and our own valuations, isn't it only time that really lets us know whether it was the right decision?
 
henryf said:
I may be on my own here but am I the only person who thinks the big stuff from Sunseeker is unbelievably ugly? We left the boat in Portland for a couple of days last month and Sunseeker have a manufacturing unit at the back of the marina boat park.

I was reminded of one of those big fat gypsy wedding dresses. Layer upon layer upon layer of total design failure. A sort of fancy gateau gone horribly wrong. What are we going to do now? Bung another one of the layers on and then err.... bung another one So that it looks really fancy.

I'm sure they're a hell of boat inside and wonderfully quick but do you really want to be known as the gypsy who tarmac'd enough drives to buy a big boat? I think Your mate might have had a lucky escape :)

Henry.
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I may get shot down for this but IMO the big Sunseekers are a bit like modern day Bentleys. Too much 'If I shout louder, I look better'
 
Fire99 said:
My point (which I don't think is that tricky, if i'm honest) is that it sounded like the Sunseeker rep was being somewhat up their own bottom on the deal and as such, would put me off the purchase.
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It must be remembered that most salesmen on ALL the major brand stands are from the brands Agents, who make a contribution to the stand cost in order to be able to obtain business and are not employeed by the manufacturer.

The service I have received from Sunseeker Manurfacturing in Poole and all of their agents (particually Sunseeker Estrella in Mallorca) has been exemplary
 
Lozzer said:
Dough

So you are telling me that as a punter you would quite happily give over you hard earned cash without seeking money off. I dont think so.

Once again good luck with your purchase and don't let your brand loyalty cloud your judgement, you never know there might be a better alternative.
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Thanks again Losser for your best wishes but I assure you as a family we looked at all the makes available including the Italian yards.

Just like cars we all have our prefered makes and it would be great if boat manufactures had more brand identity in their designs rather than going down the follow them route.

I do not know for certain but when jfm ordered his boat Match I would suggest that his decision was made not on what the discount rate offered by Fairline (or their agent) was, but what was the overall final price in relation to what he was getting for his money.

I will not bore everyone with my private circumstances but in my Company's sphere of activity it is normal for the commercial customer to receive up to a 93% discount off the list price.

Of course it is all a farce as the list price of the component is vastly inflated and bears no relation to it's true cost.

Our industry has tried to bring some semblance of sanity into the equation by halving the list price and at the same time halving the discount.

You would have thought we where suggesting a cull of all children under 5 years old.
The distributors and wholesalers insisted that the high list price and high discounts remained.

Why should the same attitude not be alive and well in the boat industry?
 
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