Dusseldorf great and Oyster Yachts not so..

dom said:
Oh I don't think he needs to apologise. I visited Earl's Court when I came to England in the 90s. Having previously sailed dinghies internationally I was a bit of a boat nut, but had never been on anything so grand as an Oyster. I still remember the scorn and contempt they showed to me and other curious people.
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In 1986 I visited the Earl's Court Boat Show and wanted to go on board a ludicrously expensive 26 footer. I was treated by the British builders with enormously friendliness and welcomed aboard, although I was at the time just a postgraduate student and the boat, though beautiful, was completely out of my reach.

Twenty three years later I bought her!
 
>The reasons might be obvious to you but they're not at all obvious to me. Thousands (literally) of folks have been on my boats at 4 shows (3 majors) without an appointment and that's how it should be, imho at least...Your "have serious money or are a time waster" suggests you think everyone is in one of those categories. But actually many people are neither, such as the boat enthusiasts who don't have a lot of money yet.

In that case why do people like Oyster and Sunseeker only allow people on their boats if they have an appointment. Are you saying they are very profitable marketing incompetents.
 
KellysEye said:
>The reasons might be obvious to you but they're not at all obvious to me. Thousands (literally) of folks have been on my boats at 4 shows (3 majors) without an appointment and that's how it should be, imho at least...Your "have serious money or are a time waster" suggests you think everyone is in one of those categories. But actually many people are neither, such as the boat enthusiasts who don't have a lot of money yet.

In that case why do people like Oyster and Sunseeker only allow people on their boats if they have an appointment. Are you saying they are very profitable marketing incompetents.
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Your premise is wrong. Sunseeker have a firm policy of allowing anyone on. If you're only browsing you might have to queue 20minutes, but you get on the boat. But yes, Oyster's marketing is flawed imho.
 
Lozzer said:
they might even have had the owner of the yacht due in that afternoon and wanted to be on HIS yacht alone.
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Oh perleeease. How snotty of the owner. I've been on my own boat at several boat shows and the exhibitor/builder has asked if I want them to "close" the boat to visitors. I told them "No; let everyone on board (because it's a boat show!)", and that's how it should be. I would quite like to think that a few of those people might buy a boat, perhaps in 10 years time if not next week, because over the years they saw some nice stuff at shows, and were welcomed on board rather than NFI-ed

Lozzer said:
Sadly you have judged a book by what you perceive to be its cover
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Lozzer this whole thread is about the cover. Oyster yachts themselves are beautiful things and pretty much best in class (and I'm going to buy an 82 when they let me on one ;) )
 
AndrewfromFal said:
jfm's point that today's penniless enthusiast is tomorrow's high net worth individual is all very well, but actually ignores the fact that actually, of every 1000 people who might be looking at your boat on that basis, only four or five will ever actually be in that position
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I'm not ignoring that fact: I'm agreeing with it. What I'm saying is that you have to be nice to all of the 1000, then you know for sure you've been nice to the 4 or 5, and they'll then like you and buy your product. As an example, I was in the 1000 and it turns out I was in the 4 or 5. I love boats and I've bought two new-build 80 footers for example. When I retire (c 5years) and have time I'll switch from mobo to sail, and will buy something similar in the Oyster 82. Oyster, however, wont let me on their boats at a boat show, despite my asking several times (on a walk up basis). Now if it was only me it wouldn't matter, but I'm definitely not the only one who sees Oyster this way.

Oyster are of course free to do as they wish - they aren't breaching my human rights! But if you are not nice to the 1000 you are not being nice to the 4 or 5 either
 
Did try and get on an Oyster boat a couple of times in the past at Boat shows but without success. To be fair they probably rightly guessed I could not afford one and I suppose if I really wanted to see one I could have blagged getting on one by booking up in advance and sounding a genuine prospect. But for me, in the unlikely event I do come into serious money in the future, I would not even look at an Oyster, plenty of other boat builders out there who did let me on their boats. Maybe cutting off my nose to spite my face but what comes around goes around.

Edit, if I am being honest I would still probably buy a Bavaria as I prefer a quality boat:D
 
am i missing something

KellysEye said:
> Sunseeker have a firm policy of allowing anyone on.

Not at the Southampton boat show, there was a security guard checking passes
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Am i missing something here, what does a person actually look like who can afford an Oyster anything distinctive perhaps someone could let me know and i will look out for them next time i am at the boat show. Just that i dont know what a person who can afford an Oyster looks like?
 
freddy the frog said:
Am i missing something here, what does a person actually look like who can afford an Oyster anything distinctive perhaps someone could let me know and i will look out for them next time i am at the boat show. Just that i dont know what a person who can afford an Oyster looks like?
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I think most sales people selling premium goods get a pretty good sense for who the genuine prospects are - otherwise they would not be good at their job.
 
It appears sometimes they let you on, sometimes they don't, according to their appointments. Can't see what the problem is unless they refuse you an appointment for no sensible reason. No different from not being able to go into a show if the theatre is full. You have to book on another day!
 
buyers market

Kurrawong_Kid said:
It appears sometimes they let you on, sometimes they don't, according to their appointments. Can't see what the problem is unless they refuse you an appointment for no sensible reason. No different from not being able to go into a show if the theatre is full. You have to book on another day!
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the goods are displayed you go and look buy if you wish simple as. I purchased a new porche last year went to the dealer unanounced was given a car for half a day to try out. no pressure what so ever did not give me the third degree gave the keys back a week later i placed an order i dont think i looked like a porche buyer if there is such a thing houses are no different everyone has the right to look at your products if you have them on display if not dont bother showing them
 
bedouin said:
I think most sales people selling premium goods get a pretty good sense for who the genuine prospects are - otherwise they would not be good at their job.
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The traditional way is to look at the shoes. Levis are levis, polo shirts are polo shirts but only the Oyster buyers have hand made brogues.
 
I have been allowed on an Oyster or two every time I have been to the shows. I probably never will have the wherewithal to buy a new or a pre loved one... and I am sure I looked the part. They still let me on, though. Can't fault them at all.
 
Sailfree said:
Makes one think of the high exhibition costs to small annual sales yacht manufacturers.

What was the total cost to Oyster of Dusseldorf , transport of boat stand cost staff cost hotel/travel costs. Lets say £250,000?? to be recouped on the sale of one boat!! makes you think!!
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London perhaps ! Having stood next to it all week I have a fairly good idea of what it costs to attend. 250k it ain't. That's the beauty of Dusseldorf you sail the boat up the river ( ok motor) lift her out with a big willy chuck her on a cradle, dress it with flowers job done... Ok not quite but quite frankly Dussledorf is a very cost effective show to do. Even when you sell 4 quid magazines although I did turn one reader away for having dirty fingers.
 
jordanbasset said:
Edit, if I am being honest I would still probably buy a Bavaria as I prefer a quality boat:D
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You cannot compare a Bavaria against an Oyster...... Nice enough boats but they are mass production and therefore at a totally different quality point. I'm just teaching my boss on one so have first hand experience.

Oyster is in my opinion a fantastic British Marque. It saddens me that people are happy to bash it simply because they cannot get on a yacht at a boat show.

If people have an issue why not write to Oyster CEO or chairman and give him feedback in a private way. We don't have to publicly flog these institutions.
 
I bought a 25 year old Oyster 406 from the Oyster brokerage 2 years ago. During the whole process, and subsequently, I felt that Oyster dealt with me in exactly the same (outstanding) way that they treated purchases of new Oysters costing 10-20 times as much - nothing was too much trouble. As an Oyster owner, of whatever value or vintage, you are definitely a part of the Oyster 'family'.

Neil
 
It must be hard for Oyster Sunseeker and the likes at shows:

Allot of people just want to look at the boats fender kicking and day dreaming.
Some will turn into customers one day, you cannot tell if its the 6 year old child or the parents,
You do not have enough time/ boats/ staff to allow every potential customer access to the boats and give them the time they should have,

What do you do?
Try and assess who has more potential as a customer? Prior interest would be No 1.

Ask at the stand at beginning of day if its possible to have a look round they may well book you a viewing later or even give you one then.

If you so much as whispered to Oyster/ Sunseeker before the show that you where interested in I am sure they would do everything they could to accommodate you at the show.
 
freddy the frog; said:
I purchased a new porche last year went to the dealer unanounced was given a car for half a day to try out. no pressure what so ever did not give me the third degree gave the keys back a week later i placed an order i dont think i looked like a porche buyer if there is such a thing houses are no different everyone has the right to look at your products if you have them on display if not dont bother showing them
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Admit I usually dress scruffy at weekends as I always have DIY/ boat maintenance to do but about 3 time have considered a BMW car and salesmanship attitude has put me off each time.

In march 13 called into an Audi dealer and within 15 min agreed the price and bought a new A6 Avant!

A lot of premium brand salesmen need re-educating IMHO.
 
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