How to sell a Rib?

brucehawsker · 13 June 2006, 07:28

What do you think is the best route for selling the two ribs we had at Ribex?

We are intending to change engine manufacturer and console design for our final production Rib, especially since we are negotiating a key 'brand' endorsement from a High Street name, and will be selling this product to non-marine experienced buyers.

We have two ribs for sale which are in excellent shape. One has been the test bed on which we have carried out demos and ironed out all the bugs. The other has effectively zero hours but has been kept in development lock step with the demo.

They provide a great secure and soft ride, and are fully equipped with six jockeys. They would make an ideal family boat for this summer, or a great training boat with centre throttle, GPS / fishfinder etc.

Quite honestly, I would rather take a small loss on the sales and know that a family was having loads of fun out in them, or help out a training school by providing low cost boats, than have them sitting in a workshop!

Any help on how to sell them and what pricing strategy to adopt for a quick sale would be much much appreciated.

Thanks

Bruce

andymp2000 · 13 June 2006, 08:45

Got any pictures?

nugent · 13 June 2006, 08:55

http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=14682

Hugh Jardon · 13 June 2006, 09:10

always ensure the engine is set up correctly on the boat rather than just rushing it out there for a show as i know that put some folks off, never go out there half cocked so to speak

RIVA · 13 June 2006, 11:01

call me cash waiting

John Kennett · 13 June 2006, 11:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIVA

call me cash waiting

Quote:

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

I would rather take a small loss

John

RIVA · 13 June 2006, 11:42

L. O. L .

brucehawsker · 13 June 2006, 18:54

RIVA's humour is duely noted, as is JK's riposte.

And I accept Hugh's chiding! We learn from our mistakes!!

I won't comment on the reasons we had cavitation at the show, but rest assured it was a function of tight deadlines and less than perfect delivery times, rather than anything fundamental. The problems are cured - she has been tested exhaustively by two different helms since then, and everyone is comfortable the problem has gone - a function of propellor 'difficulties'!

I am in this game for the long term, and am happy to prove the naysayers wrong over that long term. But in the short term, for primarily business relationship reasons, we are keen to sell one or possibly both of the exisitng boats, and thus have the risk capital to build, based on our commercial experiences to date, a probably lower powered boat more accurately targetted at the newbie market. This will be sold in an entirely different way from the majority of the industry - excepting our good friend RIVA who is aleady ahead of us in this market and will prove worthy competition.

I was actually being serious about willing to take a loss - even a bigger than little one. It is not my aim to have capital tied up in boats in a workshop. I am open to offers - even from (especially from, to prove no hard feelings!) RIVA! I want people to use the boats and enjoy the summer!

But I genuinely want advice on how to sell the boats to the already marine audience OUTSIDE (yes there is a world outside) of RibNet!

And some advice on price to shift them!!

Cheers

Bruce

PS At least I am being open and honest about the realities of the business, and about our objectives and plans.

ADS · 13 June 2006, 19:32

-Decent informative website with specs/ package prices on and keep it regularly up to date.
- Become a trade member on www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk perhaps have a banner on there.
-Advert is Sportsboat and RIB, RIB Int, BIBOA Riblines and maybe buyaboat or whatever its called.
-Lifestyle magazines, we get one called compass through our door, glossy magazine with houses for sales, articles, motoring and restaurant reviews, currently someone advertising package prices for the Stealth H2 boat which is basically the Stealth speed boat.
-Knock out a few letters and see if you can get it reviewed in any of the top rib magazines, Practical Boat Owner may also be worth a try.
Best of luck with it,

roycruse · 13 June 2006, 19:35

hi bruce

I'm glad to hear you sorted out your ventilation problem you had at the show - it was a great looking boat - I really wanted to see how she handled now you got the problem sorted...

hope I'm not stating the obvious but have you advertised them in boats and outboards... pretty much anybody looking for a boat tries on there.

a small tip when placing ads with them - every week or few weeks - drop the price by a few pounds and you ad will be put back to the start of the listings rather than disapearing off into the distant high page numbers

if I didn't have such a new boat I would have been interested myself - subject to a sucsesfull sea trial (thrashing)

good luck...

brucehawsker · 13 June 2006, 21:03

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F103212/

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F103210

Just taken Roy's advice and dropped price by a bit!

Any criticisms / suggestions as to how to improve the advert?

brucehawsker · 13 June 2006, 21:23

and on ApolloDuck, and on MTM / Boats-for-Sale, and on RibNet

Anywhere else?

Please give me feedback on price, guys and gals!!!!!

ADS · 13 June 2006, 22:49

Bruce, I aways try to market/ sell the boat as much as possible in the advert, heres the one for a rib I sold.

Avon 4m RIB

This much loved boat is now regrettably for sale due to owner now away at university.
Manufactured by Avon and in sound condition for its year this represents a very good first boat, it is fitted with mint condition Suzuki 40HP which provides enough power to put a smile on your face and more than capable of towing toys or a skier.
The hull itself is in good sound condition with the tubes being professionally overhauled last season including having all new valves these therefore do not leak at all.
The Suzuki outboard is very reliable and a good starter, it features electric start (and pull start) has power tilt, good Suzuki controls, new kill cord switch and teleflex no-feedback steering. The engine is flushed through with fresh water after every use and I had the engine professionally serviced at the end of last season and given a clean bill of health by the marine engineer, it is ready to go!
The complete package is sat on a Hallmark trailer with brand new wheels and tyres. The summer is fast approaching and this excellent little package will get you on the water and provide you a lot of fun for a relatively small outlay it will also fit in a conventional sized garage and can be launched by hand.
Ready to go, just add water! Offers welcome, located in Christchurch. Dorset.

•Grey Hypalon tubes on white hull.
•Recent white two-man Outhill jockey consul with s/s backrest.
•4 lifting eyes for davit stowage.
•Late 90's Suzuki 40hp, power tilt, electric start all in very good order. Engine is 2-stroke with oil injection, therefore no pre mixing the oil and fuel. Complete with dash mounted oil gauge with low-level alarm, overheat alarm etc.
•2x 25 litre fuel tanks one new.
•Auto bilge pump
•Galvanised Hallmark trailer, with two brand new wheels.
•New Teleflex Speedo with backlight.
•New navigation lights just fitted.
•Good marine battery in battery box with isolator switch located inside console.
£**** ONO

Similar format for a speed boat I also sold:

12' Marina speedboat complete with Johnson 35hp and sound road trailer.
In the time I have owned it the boat has been sanded down and repainted, the stringers in the floor replaced and re-glassed professionally to give this hull years more service and to give it a tidier appearance.
The interior has been reupholstered with marine grade carpet and has had a pair of new matching seats costing in excess of £100. The boat can seat four comfortably, and gives a dry ride.
Engine is a good starter and is ultra reliable, manual start and manual trim, so nothing to go wrong or any electrical hassles to ruin a days boating.
This year Johnson specialists South Coast Outboards have given it a full service including new impeller and have replaced the engine mounts along with giving it a clean bill of health.
Included is a 22 litre fuel tank, NEW 2005: navigation lights, switch panel, bilge pump, all powered by a new marine battery.
The summer is fast approaching and this excellent package will get you on the water and provide you a lot of fun for a small outlay, ready to go, just add water! Offers welcome.

Feel free to chop and change, boats and outboards don't appear to give a word limit.

brucehawsker · 13 June 2006, 23:23

Thank you Alex, will give it a go after weekend

Nick Hearne · 14 June 2006, 07:45

If you really want to shift them quickly get them on EBay

Seriously if you sell them great but if not you will still be showing your boats of to a very large target market

Get some links in to other photos & the video footage you have!
One other comment for the future is put a double A frame on the back as the single just looks mien!

Nauti Buoy · 14 June 2006, 09:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

If you really want to shift them quickly get them on EBay

Seriously if you sell them great but if not you will still be showing your boats of to a very large target market

Get some links in to other photos & the video footage you have!
One other comment for the future is put a double A frame on the back as the single just looks mien!

Yes agree with EBAY, have sold both Ribs previously on EBAY, prior to close of sale and for the full asking price. Does get a very good viewing audience plus lots of pics helps a lot.

RIVA · 14 June 2006, 09:26

Bruce if you are going to build a brand don’t put it on e bay

Providing your business plan has not changed

If you still want to sell NEW boats to the market you are thinking of
That’s why Mr Bentley and mr bell jet ranger don’t sell on e bay

There is no quicker way to devalue your product in the market
Now I would normally charge for this advice

Riva

Richard B · 14 June 2006, 10:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIVA

...if you are going to build a brand don’t put it on e baY...That’s why Mr Bentley and mr bell jet ranger don’t sell on e bay...

There is no quicker way to devalue your product in the market
Now I would normally charge for this advice

Riva

I don't agree.... brands can be marketed on Ebay, it's tactics that are important. Take the example of HP - they distribute their refurbished returns via Ebay, as do other technology manufacturers. These are hige manufacturers with enviable reputations. They use appropriate channels for the goods. Mr Bentley and Mr Jet Ranger don't use Ebay because it would be a waste of time and their brand is already established. The likelehood of someone searching for a bargain iPaq on Ebay is very high, but a bargain new Bentley Continental GTC or Jet Ranger 206B-3 is very low I think. However, an ex demo 6.5m RIB? Yep, I reckon Ebay would provide quite a few hits from interested bidders.

If you charged for that advice, I reckon a refund would have been in order!

RIVA · 14 June 2006, 10:04

i did stress NEW not used

i forgot just how sucsesfull a buisness man you are richard and just quite how many 100s of ribs you sell per year sorry my mistake i can only apolagise for my stupidness

Richard B · 14 June 2006, 11:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIVA

how many 100s of ribs you sell per year

That's not the point... remember a few years ago the Post Office decided to change its name to Consignia. This "rebranding" had the backing of managers and directors who had many years in the postal delivery business behind them. They thought it was a great idea and spent a fortune doing it. To the rest of the UK population it was patently obvious that this was the most stupid thing ever considered, and the rebranding was a spectacular failure. Never underestimate the value of an opinion from outside the industry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIVA

i can only apolagise for my stupidness

Apology accepted