Boat show - missing a big opportunity

Boomshanka said:
This report suggests that the high end market suppliers ignored SIBS this year to follow the money to Monaco - which was on at the same time - which must have stretched some sales teams (perhaps this is why some folk are moaning about the quality of sales staff at SIBS?)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-19703642
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Yes that was the only thing misleading in that (very good) report.

There are a number of companies that operate in both "markets" that you could call SBS and Monaco and given they operate in both of those markets they attend both and plan accordingly for the different visitors / suppliers / representatives etc they will see at each.

I left SBS on Monday to head over to Monaco and was back on Friday eve it can be done.

They don't clash next year but in fairness you really cant compare them to one another.
 
Whiskey Bravo said:
I find it difficult to accept that £20 is an excessive price compared to other 'events'. With prices ranging from £30 to £70 for 90 minutes Premiership football, £60 for a days Test cricket, concert tickets well in excess of £50 for many artists, £40 plus for 18 holes of golf, the SIBS is a bargain whether or not you buy anything/own a boat or just go for the day out.
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I don't think it's the same at all. Boat-shows are not entertainment. It's just shopping and I would not pay a fee to enter a shopping mall. Imagine if Westfield or Bluewater charged a fee for window-shopping! :eek:
 
ChattingLil said:
Free at Bluewater and Lakeside! Downside is that it is Bluewater or Lakeside.
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Exactly, wouldn't be great to visit a place that had everything you possible ever wanted, needed for your hobby all in one place.

You could touch it, feel it, smell it and ask questions and hell, even buy it.

Instead of going to each and every manufacturer throughout the country why not get them to come to one place and pay a small price to see them all in one place..

Oh hang on you can, its called and exhibition!! :D
 
WestWittering said:
If I were you I would contact the company who were at the show selling them and ask for the show discount. Any company worth its salt would oblige if you didnt leave it too late. You will probably pay p&p on top, but if the deal was good enough it could be worth it.

Di
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Thanks for that - anyone know who they are.

With deals on Queen Mary of £599 for trip to or from New York and Fly one way. I would save over £300 per bike buying them in New York.

Just have to quickly cycle through customs in the UK then!!

When I worked in the USA I bought Harken ratchet centre main block for my Wayfarer for less in $ than it was £ in the UK. I really have difficulty understanding why everything is so much dearer in the UK (and even dearer in France).
 
Sailfree said:
Thanks for that - anyone know who they are.

With deals on Queen Mary of £599 for trip to or from New York and Fly one way. I would save over £300 per bike buying them in New York.

Just have to quickly cycle through customs in the UK then!!

When I worked in the USA I bought Harken ratchet centre main block for my Wayfarer for less in $ than it was £ in the UK. I really have difficulty understanding why everything is so much dearer in the UK (and even dearer in France).
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Don't forget to add the Import VAT;)
 
Sailfree said:
When I worked in the USA I bought Harken ratchet centre main block for my Wayfarer for less in $ than it was £ in the UK. I really have difficulty understanding why everything is so much dearer in the UK (and even dearer in France).
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Even when the pound was 2 to the dollar you had to watch what you were buying in boaty stuff in the US, you might have had a fright if you had looked at Lewmar stuff which is imported to the US via Europe and thus gets a premium. There were good buys to be had if you were carefull, but never as good as computers and cameras where it was often dollar for pound.

Why does stuff cost more here, well land is cheap in the US, so is property tax and business taxes so their overhead structure is cheaper. As for Froggyland their social taxes and employment law make their labour costs even higher than ours so everything costs more there, just think of that next time you are tempted to vote labour, because that is the system the unions want here
 
Sailfree said:
I really have difficulty understanding why everything is so much dearer in the UK (and even dearer in France).
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It's called government spending, principally on social services and the public sector. The money has to come from somewhere. That's you, me and the financial services sector.

So endeth the sermon. All follow ups in the Lounge I guess.
 
Richard Shead said:
Oh hang on you can, its called and exhibition!! :D
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I appreciate that you need to advance the idea of exhibitions being a good thing for the industry and I agree with you.

The reason for my post was to try and introduce some alternative thinking that would increase attendence esp with spending customers. IMHO LIBS will shortly die and I regret that.

Fireballs post gels with mine and in the end he never went anyway, we went on free tickets but could have spent more if we could go back (2nd visit free?) or had ticket price refunded in any purchases (sure make it a reasonable sized purchase).

I like looking at new boats and design trends but for me that in itself it not sufficient reason to go to a boat show and it appears that there are many similar perps.

A few travel miles, spend over £100 in total (travel, entrance and food/drinks) and enjoy it as a day out but to me there are not enough of these to support a boat show and ensure that its worth while for all the ancillary exhibitors to pay for a stand.

At the boat show I spend more and on impulse buys. Once outside the boatshows I go into value for money and will seeking the cheapest price (although I think a 1 weeks holiday on QM to New York with 50% paid for by the cheaper price of a Hummer Bike a surprise!)
 
fireball said:
What Sailfree was suggesting was that the entry ticket that you have paid for doubles as a discount token - in this case worth £20 when you spend over £100 ...

For me, the boatshow isn't something I go to - well, not if I have to fork out for tickets too - the day out for two of us is ~ £24 tickets (if bought at the discount price) + £5 parking + food + fuel cost which will easily top £50 - and that's before we attempt to buy anything for the boat...
Given that internet prices are very competitive and the exhibitors need to cover their costs so struggle to be as competitive - especially on the lower priced items - it just becomes an expensive exercise in looking at things we don't want/need and have little interest in ...

I was intending on going this year - but gave up because of weather & traffic coupled with a cold ... I would've bought some dinghy clothing and it would've totalled over £100 - I have no doubt that I'll be able to buy the same stuff locally for the same price, but the boatshow would've given me more options of styles - but £ for £ it would've cost me much more to get it from the show.... ie ~£150 instead of £100 ... ok, I would've had a day out with it as well - but I can get the dinghy stuff quickly one evening and not spend a whole day looking at boats rather than being on one ... !

So, to me (and I suspect many others) - if they want to boost sales (small item stuff) then they obviously need some sort of incentive to attract us in - Sailfree's suggestion of a rebate against entry cost is one option and is one that would encourage buyers rather than totally free entry that would just clog up the place.
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I think my post is also suggesting some changes that could also include discount on tickets for purchases as well as extended visits on same ticket.

I went out the other afternoon for a Sunday lunch for 4 adults and 2 kids
it cost me £140 for the day out I could have done that meal and drinks for less than £40 ( maybe even cheaper if I had got the food on the net ;):D ) the cost was not important it was a day out !!
 
ChattingLil said:
I don't think it's the same at all. Boat-shows are not entertainment. It's just shopping and I would not pay a fee to enter a shopping mall. Imagine if Westfield or Bluewater charged a fee for window-shopping! :eek:
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If you think SIBS is just shopping you obviously haven't been.
But even if it was 'only shopping', where else could you source any number of items for what is, after all a minority pastime,from a variety of manufacturers all in one place with the said items on display for inspection and trial? And don't say the internet. Just visiting 2 or 3 different manufacturers in a couple of different towns and cities would cost far more in petrol and parking than the boat show.
 
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