Unfortunately, the Seedealercost.com website is not DOA as thousands of us in this industry had hoped and as I had written in my last blog article. So the question is, how long will it be before it is DOA if they don’t get enough advertising to write Malone and Taylor’s paychecks?

Most comments that I have read or heard since the website went live have been negative towards it. But a few (very few I might add) have commented, “The time has come for this in the marine industry.” Huh?… are they serious?? And some have made comments like, “The buying public deserves to know what something costs.” My response to this is, “Why?”

An “Inconvenient Truth” – We don’t need this site!

As Larry Russo, Russo Marine, Medford, MA said, “To those that say, ‘the time has come for this in the marine industry’”, I say… why hasn’t it come to the furniture industry or the clothing industry or the large appliance industry or the jewelry industry??? Why the hell do we need it in the boating industry?” I agree with Larry. The truth is…we don’t need it in this industry.

Russo also commented this about the SDC site, “The ‘dealer cost’ prices on the site come from unreliable third parties. They are out of date and inaccurate. At this time, no manufacturer is supporting this site with data or with advertising.”

He went on to say, “If anyone finds themselves in conversation with a consumer about this site, they should respectfully let them know that this site is simply not credible at this time. Until a significant number of major manufacturers endorse and support it with both data and advertising, it has no merit and should be labeled what it is… a scheme by two former industry employees trying to make a quick buck!” (I hope they never get that ad support!) Continue reading An “Inconvenient Truth” – Seedealercost.com hurts the industry! →

There is still a lot of chatter about the alleged new website that is changing its name from “PayDealerCost.com” to “SeeDealerCost.com.”  Most of the chatter is very much against this website. I just visited PayDealerCost.com and all I got was:

S D C
SEE DEALER COST™
NO FRILLS – JUST THE INFO
NOW YOU HAVE THE TOOLS TO NEGOTIATE YOUR BEST DEAL
For More Information Please Email

This is all there has been on this website for several weeks now. So one has to wonder… is it DOA? We really don’t know who the principal of this alleged website is or what their timing is. Jack Malone, formerly with Mercury Marine and Yamaha, and Dave Taylor, who used to be with U.S. Marine, seem to be the point guards for the project. I called Malone a few weeks back to ask him about the website, and during the conversation he told me he was only an employee. But he didn’t tell me who the real money guy behind the website was.

In any case, as of today, they are not up and running. Maybe it is DOA. Maybe they have re-thought the whole thing as a result of the intense push back from dealers and boat builders alike, finally realized the damage it could do to the industry, and decided not to start the website. Let’s hope! Continue reading Dealer costs on a website??? DOA?? →

The word on the street, which I have heard from sources all around the country, is that some former sales executives from the boating industry are starting a new website that will be publishing dealer costs for all brands of boats and motors. Huh?? What are they thinking?

I called one of the guys who I heard was involved in the website project and asked him for more information on it. He told me it would be a consumer research website very similar to  Edmunds.com and Kelley Blue Book in the auto industry. He said the website would feature boats, motors, motorcycles, ATVs and (later on) RVs. But manufacturers would not be able to sell their products directly to consumers. Consumers, however, will be able to search the website by product or brand. Consumers would also be able to locate a dealer and request a quote on the product they are interested in.

He also said that the website would have two prices on the boats and motors and other products they feature—the MSRP and dealer invoice. He added that some dealers they have contacted don’t like it, but others do. (I can’t imagine why a dealer would like it.)

My feeling is this—It is tough enough out there in the boat manufacturing and retailing trenches without some former execs trying to line their pockets at the expense of the industry. Here we are, struggling in the worst economy since the Great Depression, with an estimated 25% or more of dealers now out of business and predictions that another 20% are still in business but no longer selling new boats. I’ve also heard that those developing this website are claiming that publishing dealer costs will help the industry. As I said earlier, “Huh?? What are they thinking?” It is almost like WikiLeaks—potentially very damaging. Continue reading Dealer costs on a website??? →