Boat show - missing a big opportunity

[Ex-SolentBoy]

I think you're mistaking the shows ethos, it's not there for the exhibitors or purchasers,
it's there for the show company to make a huge profit.
If the exhibitors viewed their displeasure at the ridiculous prices collectively then possibly some form of incentive for us the customer would ensue.

Is that true? "NBS is a subsidiary of the British Marine Federation (BMF), the trade association for the UK boating industry. Run by the industry, for the industry, the profits from both shows are reinvested back into the UK leisure marine industry through the services and representation provided by the BMF."

I find it hard to understand that in this time of recession prices go up.

Inflation is still there, and labour costs have increased. At a time of recession it is only a brave company, or government, who decides the way out is to reduce prices/taxes to stimulate demand.

Exhibitors have access to show tickets. The process is that they are issued some and only pay for the ones they do not return. They are charged £12 each I think. So, you can always make friends with someone and then you should never p more than that for a ticket.

 

[Sailfree]

Exhibitors have access to show tickets. The process is that they are issued some and only pay for the ones they do not return. They are charged £12 each I think.

They are £7.50 each to exhibitors.

 

[Neil_Y]

The sad thing I think is that the show has hot tubs, bean bags, artwork, whisky etc where there could be more marine related products if the exhibitor costs were less. There are many small operations and new technologies in British marine engineering that don't have the staff or time to do a 10 days show. Give us a three/four day or a section for one long weekend at a reasonable cost and we'd be there.

As a comparison, the Seaworks Southampton boat show, usually in June does not charge visitor entry fees, has very reasonable costs for boats and stand space, runs for three days and makes a profit, it's been growing every year we've been there with many new small companies with interesting marine products but no hot tubs I'm afraid.

Maybe next year I'll see what the rates look like.

 

[emsworthy]

In that case I probably met you on Tuesday.....

You should have had a badge on with your forum name as well....

I think I probably spoke to you too on Friday! (assuming you are 50 something with a well kept grey beard that is).

I have to say that the staff on the Rustler stand were the most helpful and chatty of all those we spoke to. It costs nothing but surprisingly rare... they deserve to do well and I for one will certainly be placing my order for a 42 as soon as possible. (post-lottery win/large inheritance that is!)

 

[nigelmercier]

I think the problem with the Boat Show is that it has become too big, too expensive, and too grand. I would like to see a compromise between the large shows and a boat jumble, with a mix of private sellers, manufacturers and chandlers.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

I think I probably spoke to you too on Friday! (assuming you are 50 something with a well kept grey beard that is).

I have to say that the staff on the Rustler stand were the most helpful and chatty of all those we spoke to. It costs nothing but surprisingly rare... they deserve to do well and I for one will certainly be placing my order for a 42 as soon as possible. (post-lottery win/large inheritance that is!)

Thanks for the kind comment, but it wasn't me, I am afraid.

However, I shall pass your beard comment on as the owner can use it to stop us tacking the mickey in future.

 

[robp]

My main issue is with the variance in ticket prices. I used the RNLI code to buy tickets at £12 ea. I could only go yesterday (Sunday) and of course got the worst of the weather. Having already bought the tickets and printed them, my youngest son and I decided to go anyway. Eldest son and his lady came with us in the hope that the forecasts were pessimistic and maybe get a ticket deal! But with the weather, which would seriously limit the value, plus £20 per ticket!! they decided to go elsewhere. They then popped up suddenly, after some kind gent donated two tickets to them, that he wasn't going to use.
Eldest then bought one of those excellent thermal cookers, so they benefitted.

My point is that if they are happy to make tickets available at a certain price, then let that be the price. I was surprised at how busy the show was in the rain, (boy did Garmin hit on a great idea with their give away branded kagools), but I really don't like the opportunistic ticket pricing and it will alienate visitors eventually.

 

[Whiskey Bravo]

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.
I agree the food prices were ridiculous, but that is easily overcome by taking your own. 10 minutes inside the Show will give you a good idea where everything's located along with mobile assistants who will direct you to specific stands.
We travelled down from Yorkshire, had a great day out, spent well over £1000 and will return. This was our first visit to Southampton, having previously gone to LIBS. We were impressed.

 

[Fantasie 19]

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.
I agree the food prices were ridiculous, but that is easily overcome by taking your own. 10 minutes inside the Show will give you a good idea where everything's located along with mobile assistants who will direct you to specific stands.
We travelled down from Yorkshire, had a great day out, spent well over £1000 and will return. This was our first visit to Southampton, having previously gone to LIBS. We were impressed.

I'm sympathetic to your argument - but push comes to shove - and this argument has been used elsewhere - SIBS is a trade fair. We're being charged a price to be able to spend our money with traders.... the converse argument is that if you charged less more people might come in and buy stuff...

 

[Sailfree]

I find it difficult to accept that £20 is an excessive price compared to other 'events'.

You are so right I must recommend you to shopping malls and they can charge you £20 to go in and spend your money.

Whatever you opinion the facts are that LIB is dead - just has not laid out yet! and SIB has less exhibitors and I believe less real people about to spend money than ever before.

Something needs to be done and I believe blaming it on the economic times is not an adequate excuse.

 

[WestWittering]

I cant think of one shopping centre that lets you clamber all over their furniture though or offers hands on tuition in a range of skills. That is why a three-day pass would be great. I wanted to stay for the talk on diesel engines on Premiers stand, but HWIMBO wanted to go and see the boats. We have also booked three days sailing and factory visits with Southerly, Hanse & another (sorry, forgot who that was).

Also, the savings made on the show specials mean that I have got a free RYA diesel course with my reduced price dazed kipper course, will be saving £20 on post show internet shopping, and have a wealth of brochures, prices and information on boats for the future. Even if I dont buy new, I will know which are the models that are more interesting, what a sea of veneer looks like in the flesh and I know however much I like the boats, stepping over travellers in the cockpit is not good!

I thought it was great value for money - if entry was free, the world and his wife would have turned up with the kids just for crack and those wanting to talk/touch/feel boaty stuff would not have got a look in!

Di

 

[Whiskey Bravo]

You are so right I must recommend you to shopping malls and they can charge you £20 to go in and spend your money.

Whatever you opinion the facts are that LIB is dead - just has not laid out yet! and SIB has less exhibitors and I believe less real people about to spend money than ever before.

Something needs to be done and I believe blaming it on the economic times is not an adequate excuse.

Aside from your sarcasm being the lowest form of wit, how would letting people in for free reduce the number of 'tyre kickers' you complained about in your original post? Any system of vetting visitors with return coupons or suchlike would inevitably lead to increased costs for extra staff and queues at the entrances. In my opinion, and that's all it is, charging a reasonable entry fee helps to ensure it's mainly interested parties who attend and in a small way keeps costs down for the exhibitors, not all of whom are gigantic conglomorates. £20 I feel is a reasonable sum, and if you were making a substantial purchase I'm sure anybody could negotiate a refund of entry fee as part of the deal.

 

[Sailfree]

Aside from your sarcasm being the lowest form of wit, how would letting people in for free reduce the number of 'tyre kickers' you complained about in your original post? Any system of vetting visitors with return coupons or suchlike would inevitably lead to increased costs for extra staff and queues at the entrances. In my opinion, and that's all it is, charging a reasonable entry fee helps to ensure it's mainly interested parties who attend and in a small way keeps costs down for the exhibitors, not all of whom are gigantic conglomorates. £20 I feel is a reasonable sum, and if you were making a substantial purchase I'm sure anybody could negotiate a refund of entry fee as part of the deal.

We differ I have many sarcastic friends and they make me laugh but you have to feel secure about yourself to also be able to laugh at sarcasm aimed at yourself.

Regarding your post read my points again and sorry if they are not clear. I am not suggesting free entry but effectively free to those spending money. Increased take for exhibitors will hopefully bring more exhibitors back to boat shows as the numbers are decreasing.

I never meant to imply free entry to everyone as that would encourage more tyre kickers

Open to others ideas say return visits free. See my post on Folding bikes. We missed Monague bikes and i would have returned and spent £1700 but not to pay the entry price again. now going to research outside boat show and buy cheapest on the internet.

To my mind its important to increase exhibitors take and if price of tickets were refundable against purchases I believe it would do this.

I am not alone in the complaints about having to pay to visit shops to spend my money.

I don't want Uk boat shows to die but if you visited LIB last year and seeing the reduced number at SIB they will if nothing changes.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

I don't want Uk boat shows to die but if you visited LIB last year and seeing the reduced number at SIB they will if nothing changes.

The non-boat part of SIB is dying because the Internet has changed the way we buy commodity products.

The boat part of LIB is dying because we do not need two views of boats per year and it is too difficult and expensive to get there for many.

I can envisage a time when SIB is boats only, with almost nothing ashore, and LIB becomes part of a combined event with clothing and other outdoor pursuits but no big boats. That I would go to, but I gave up on LIB years go.

 

[jonic]

The non-boat part of SIB is dying because the Internet has changed the way we buy commodity products.

The boat part of LIB is dying because we do not need two views of boats per year and it is too difficult and expensive to get there for many.

I can envisage a time when SIB is boats only, with almost nothing ashore, and LIB becomes part of a combined event with clothing and other outdoor pursuits but no big boats. That I would go to, but I gave up on LIB years go.

agreed

 

[maxi77]

Times are hard and it costs big money to go to these events as an exhibitor, it is not surprising that at a time when margins are under threat that companies review how they spend their marketing money, and how much they spend. If the shows survive into the promised upturn then I suspect they will grow in size again.

 

[Sailfree]

The non-boat part of SIB is dying because the Internet has changed the way we buy commodity products.

The boat part of LIB is dying because we do not need two views of boats per year and it is too difficult and expensive to get there for many.

I can envisage a time when SIB is boats only, with almost nothing ashore, and LIB becomes part of a combined event with clothing and other outdoor pursuits but no big boats. That I would go to, but I gave up on LIB years go.

Yes I think you and Jonic are correct unfortunately.

I made the post after a Saturday evening dinner at the YC when we discovered many items that we would have have been interested in but missed. Most annoying one was a folding mountain bike made by Montague. If I had tried them and liked them I would have bought 2 there. SWMBO would have gone back to buy a number of clothing items say about £100 but with cost of tickets just not worth it. Lack of an internet based boat show plan greatly assisted our ability to miss a few exhibitors that we would have seen had we been able to pre-plan.

We don't go to the boat show to buy any particular item but regularly make a number of impulse buys (including a new 38' yacht one year). I appreciate that a number just go out of interest but I think they are missing an opportunity to get people like us to return to spend more money and encourage others to turn the ticket cost into purchases.

 

[Richard Shead]

Yes I think you and Jonic are correct unfortunately.

I made the post after a Saturday evening dinner at the YC when we discovered many items that we would have have been interested in but missed. Most annoying one was a folding mountain bike made by Montague. If I had tried them and liked them I would have bought 2 there. SWMBO would have gone back to buy a number of clothing items say about £100 but with cost of tickets just not worth it. Lack of an internet based boat show plan greatly assisted our ability to miss a few exhibitors that we would have seen had we been able to pre-plan.

We don't go to the boat show to buy any particular item but regularly make a number of impulse buys (including a new 38' yacht one year). I appreciate that a number just go out of interest but I think they are missing an opportunity to get people like us to return to spend more money and encourage others to turn the ticket cost into purchases.

I have the Hummer version of that bike, posted on here several times, its the mutts nuts..

 

[Sailfree]

I have the Hummer version of that bike, posted on here several times, its the mutts nuts..

Thanks for that endorsement.

Must have missed your previous posts but from internet research it appears to be just what we are looking for - a mountain type bike , comfortable for cycling distances and can be folded to store on the boat.

Prior to YC dinner/chat I never knew bikes like that existed.

Did you buy the case? I thought at an extra £100 it was dear.

As they are Swiss made anyone know if they are cheaper in Switzerland?

 

[Richard Shead]

Thanks for that endorsement.

Must have missed your previous posts but from internet research it appears to be just what we are looking for - a mountain type bike , comfortable for cycling distances and can be folded to store on the boat.

Prior to YC dinner/chat I never knew bikes like that existed.

Did you buy the case? I thought at an extra £100 it was dear.

As they are Swiss made anyone know if they are cheaper in Switzerland?

I bought mine in the USA a few years back but it was the Hummer branded job and slightly different although using the same principle.

I don't have the case as it lives in my garage under lock and key and I never leave it anywhere just in case!

I did used to take it to the boat and just wrapped it up if we needed to store it.

I thought they were US made? maybe mine was under licence as the stickers on it suggest that.