You hear about those mid-to-late February boat and dock shows, and think, “What if? Just what if I could find the exact dock I need at a low low price?” Maybe you show up on the last day and catch the guy tearing everything down before he goes home for the night. He says, “Listen I gotta get rid of this thing, take it at 50% off.” That’s the dream right?
Unfortunately for us dock shoppers, that’s not ever how it seems to pan out. There are a few reasons these kind of shows can be a little misleading.
1. Lack of upfront pricing.
Its not as if there are price tags on 90% of the docks at shows like this. (Or, heck, even on most websites.) We as consumers are now used to online shopping where the price, shipping costs, instructions, etc. are all at our finger tips. And if we aren’t sure about the product, well here’s a 1000 peoples reviews on it. But in real life you basically have to show your poker hand as the consumer, long before you get to know how much what you want costs. We don’t want to play mind games like we are at a car lot, just tell us how much it is.
2. They have home-field advantage
Walking into a boat and dock show, salesmen know what type of consumer you already are. If you walk up and start asking questions about docks, they’ve got your number already mister. So we are back to car lot games of feigning apathy and disinterest, lest we get taken, then the sales guy is back telling all his coworkers how he hooked another sucker. Shopping online gives you the advantage, where you can research, figure out your needs, then call and talk to an expert after you’ve got all your ducks in a row.
3. Even if you do get a deal, are you sure it’s a good one?
Are you getting their best model at their best price, or just a good price? Did you know that Jack Docks will often price match deals? And that means show deal prices as well.
Getting a reliable product that you can fully research, fully trust, and be confident in is more important than a good deal. But if someone you trust can match that good deal…with upfront pricing you know from the get-go, then there’s nothing to it but to do it.
Check out our SHOP or CONTACT us to compare – or apply to match boat show pricing!
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