MBM's New boat Buyers guide.

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BIG_PLANS

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www.bluestarsurveys.co.uk
MBM\'s New boat Buyers guide.

Is it really neccessary to print 20 pages of what new boats are available every month. I think once a quater would be better and use the pages left free for more articles, review etc. What do you all think?

Cant afford a new boat anyway!!!!!!
 
Re: MBM\'s New boat Buyers guide.

Had to fill the space. Didn't sell enough advertising /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
Re: MBM\'s New boat Buyers guide.

Yes, has been mentioned to the last 2 or 3 editors of MBM on here - but i think i would rather have 20 pages to ignore rather than the mag cost another 3 quid per issue.

(to be honest - i hate it as well, would rather have 20 pages about boating!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)
 
Re: MBM\'s New boat Buyers guide.

The thing is, you wouldn't have another 20 pages about boating if the Buyers' Guide wasn't there. When first put in, it represented extra pages and (dread phrase!) "added value" for the reader. The cost of the extra paper and printing isn't huge and, so far as I can tell, there is very little maintenance or updating, so it's just a question of reproducing a database each month which costs virtually nothing. On the other hand, to provide an extra 20 pages of editorial per month would, at a guess, require at least one additional member of staff and/or a significantly increased freelance budget - and you can make your own estimate of the likelihood of this happening.

It's the same as the Buyers' Guides in the Car Mags. Not much interest to regular readers but often consulted by new punters or those who are actually looking to buy. On balance, I'd say keep it - what harm has it ever done to us? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: MBM\'s New boat Buyers guide.

I raised exactely this question more than a year ago and they said it was an extra to the magazine! so I looked at a lot of my back issues and found they were being economical with the truth! shortly after I cancelled my subscription!

Barry
 
ah, yeah, but

Although it does not change - You can bet they sell that space to the manufactors though, and they pay - because you need to be in-it-to-win-it. and lets face it if you charged the builder £5000 per year - its peanuts to them and how many builders are there? maybe we should have a free mag, thinking of it... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Re: ah, yeah, but

As builders pay to be in it, you would think they would want better representation. In it present format it is neither use nor ornament. How can you represent a 500k boat in a few lines! At least in motor mags you would get alot of info, including second hand values etc. Maybe it needs a shake up and more details maybe the same amount of pages but a-m one month and n-z next month. Or even get the second hand market involved and have new boats one month and second hand boats the next month. Lets face it more second hand boats are sold than new boats and probably more readers will buy 'pre-loved' boats than new boats. Lets face it most new boat sales create a second hand sale. Most newcomers will buy second hand for a few times before buying new. A second hand b uyers guide would imho be of far more use.

Only my opinion but I hope is based somewhat in fact!!!! Maybe.

I know I cant type or spell!!!!!
 
Re: ah, yeah, but

I'm sworn to secrecy on this subject I'm afraid.

Let's just say that there are changes afoot, and that you might be pleasantly surprised when you see January's issue... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Point taken on the attractiveness of a secondhand price guide - but I just don't know how we could put one together accurately. If you find 50 Ford Focuses on the 2nd hand market then you can average out the price to get a very good estimate for typical examples. In the boat market, you're very lucky to find two boats alike, so making statements on prices without misleading people is very difficult indeed.

As I say, I can't add too much more on this subject at the moment. However, please be assured that (a) I have heard the criticisms of the buyers guide on this forum and (b) those criticisms have been taken into account in the upcoming changes to the magazine.

Intrigued? Well then you'd better get down the shops on 15 December, hadn't you? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Best wishes

Simon
 
Re: ah, yeah, but

I would be surprised if anybody pays to be in it. £5k is a lot of money for a small builder or importer and in any case I'm sure £5k or less would buy a full page colour ad in the mag so why bother
Its a complete waste of space as far as I'm concerned and should be done once or twice a year or before boat shows. As regards buying car mags with similar listings, personally I would'nt buy What Car unless I was actually buying a new car so I'm not sure the comparison is correct
MBM is a poor relation to MBY and it shows
 
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