Not happy

[RC_Hinojosa]

All of my boats have been Skiers Choice Products. Today I contacted a dealer to inquire about yet another Skiers Choice boat I like that they have in Stock. I was told they Would/Could not sell to me because I was not local to them. In other words, my only choice is to use 1 local dealer that does not have anything I want. I have been a loyal Customer, but Since Skiers Choice will not allow me to purchase one of their Boats, I will probably be going elsewhere now perhaps an Axis.

I won't be the first nor the last to tell you the move to Axis would be purely out of spite and a decision you'd regret the moment you sat in it.

It's January, if your local dealer doesn't have what you want, get a build slot and get EXACTLY what you want. Thread\

[Stazi]

I also leap-frogged my local SC dealer as they REFUSED to even drop $1 off their asking price for a boat I wanted that they had in stock, so I did a 6hr round trip to get the same boat in a different color from another dealer in my state.
Problem is some dealers are in areas where they have a captive audience so they get complacent and refuse to make deals because all they need to do is wait for another dumb-dumb who has more dollars than sense to come by and pay asking price because they either have too much money or are too lazy to shop around.

Sucks for educated buyers like us who know what we want and what it’s worth.

With that being said, another dealer should sell you the boat you want if you have the money and roll up to buy it.

Yes, there are “sales territories” that dealers are supposed to stick to and not troll other dealers territories, but for someone to refuse to sell you a boat cos you’re not in his territory is ridiculous.

Frankly that is bordering on antitrust violations!



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[sandm]

I found when shopping for my last new boat that dealers will sell to you out of territory if you ask. there's always a "way" to get around it...

BUT don't expect the dealer you stiffed to want to take care of you in any way shape or form. you will always be the end of the service line and could miss part of the season. warranty help just went out the door if it's a questionable claim or something you need extra attention on.

never hurts to ask. and if it was my coin no way I'd be shopping axis over moomba. you will be back

[flienlow]

I also leap-frogged my local SC dealer as they REFUSED to even drop $1 off their asking price for a boat I wanted that they had in stock, so I did a 6hr round trip to get the same boat in a different color from another dealer in my state.
Problem is some dealers are in areas where they have a captive audience so they get complacent and refuse to make deals because all they need to do is wait for another dumb-dumb who has more dollars than sense to come by and pay asking price because they either have too much money or are too lazy to shop around.

Sucks for educated buyers like us who know what we want and what it’s worth.

With that being said, another dealer should sell you the boat you want if you have the money and roll up to buy it.

Yes, there are “sales territories” that dealers are supposed to stick to and not troll other dealers territories, but for someone to refuse to sell you a boat cos you’re not in his territory is ridiculous.

Frankly that is bordering on antitrust violations!



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They stated they cannot sell to me because they would risk losing their dealership. I can't fault those guys. If I was the business owner I would not want to lose my dealership either. I had this happen to me before but that was a case of another dealer being in cahoots with our local guy. "If you buy from us, you're buying from Charley, so you might as well go see Charley." - type thing.
Regardless of any of this, I adamantly refuse to be forced to support ANYONE out of sheer principle alone. Furthermore, I would like Skiers Choice to address this matter.

[Stazi]

They stated they cannot sell to me because they would risk losing their dealership. I can't fault those guys. If I was the business owner I would not want to lose my dealership either. I had this happen to me before but that was a case of another dealer being in cahoots with our local guy. "If you buy from us, you're buying from Charley, so you might as well go see Charley." - type thing.
Regardless of any of this, I adamantly refuse to be forced to support ANYONE out of sheer principle alone. Furthermore, I would like Skiers Choice to address this matter.

Losing their dealership by selling you a boat is horseshit. I would give them an ultimatum; sell me a boat or I’m jumping brands.

PS Axis quality and features blow in comparison to Moomba and especially Supra, these days.

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[MJHSupra]

I found when shopping for my last new boat that dealers will sell to you out of territory if you ask. there's always a "way" to get around it...

BUT don't expect the dealer you stiffed to want to take care of you in any way shape or form. you will always be the end of the service line and could miss part of the season. warranty help just went out the door if it's a questionable claim or something you need extra attention on.

never hurts to ask. and if it was my coin no way I'd be shopping axis over moomba. you will be back

^^^ This is what I will heard from SC also. Yes, you can get around it. But what happens with warranty work - per what I was told

Assume I buy a boat from the local dealer
You buy a boat from a different dealer.
We both take our boats back to the same local dealer to get warranty work. Who do you think goes first?
Not saying that dealer will not work on your boat.

SC wants you have the relationship with the local dealer. Sounds like your local dealer is getting you off on the wrong-foot for a new boat purchase.

And the margins are different on dealers b/c of the volumes they sell into. Supply and Demand.

Current year (New) boats and last-year (hold-overs) models are treated different.

[larry_arizona]

Yeah I don’t like the idea that you can’t go to any dealer you want.

Like Stazi said, it is anti trust like.

Ironically Stazi and I had the opposite experiences with the same two dealers.

So it seems on any given deal, your results may vary.

But at no time was I aware that dealers were regional.

The local Malibu dealer is downright awful and was taken over by Tommy’s last year. I have heard it’s not much improved.

I think Tommy’s bought the other Michigan bu dealers so you are kinda stuck.

But like anything, shop and work your best deal and if a dealer refused to sell, then I would pick another brand.


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[wired1236]

I ran into this as well but my manufacture and results were a little different. I was looking at the Moomba line but ended up with a Tige (sorry for that but I still watch this forum once in s while).

My local dealer didn’t have what I wanted either so I went 2 hrs away to one that did. I also had a feeling just based on their inventory that my local dealer was not going to be a Tige dealer much longer and I confirmed that at the boat show (3 months later). That being said, I know the dealer from who I bought from did mention the issue of me being in another’s territory but given all the circumstances, it wasn’t a problem. However, I believe Tige would have worked out a deal for all parties involved regardless.

It should be all about customer service and a fair deal to all. If you don’t like the local dealer, move on.


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[Matt0520]

All of my boats have been Skiers Choice Products. Today I contacted a dealer to inquire about yet another Skiers Choice boat I like that they have in Stock. I was told they Would/Could not sell to me because I was not local to them. In other words, my only choice is to use 1 local dealer that does not have anything I want. I have been a loyal Customer, but Since Skiers Choice will not allow me to purchase one of their Boats, I will probably be going elsewhere now perhaps an Axis.

Find another dealer and call them about the boat you want, ask them if they would entertain transferring that inventory. Then call your local dealer with that info, and give them a shot so you can work together. The relationship will be worth it long term and I would think they'd appreciate the opportunity to make a sale while also getting you what you want.

From what I've seen though, the geography has to make sense and I doubt dealers will transfer 2019s around. So you'd need to get lucky and find a '17 or '18 leftover. No idea what they do with used boats.

[Stazi]

Transferring inventory seems ridiculous and unnecessary and just asking for more “dealer handling fees”. Screw that. Call another dealer and tell them that the local dealer sucks and you want to buy XYZ boat and ask them if they will sell it to you. My buddy just bought a Malibu and was getting offers from all over the state and country, so if someone feeds you a line about not being able to sell you a boat; move on, because it’s horseshit. I know I bought “out of area” myself.


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