the local gossip is that: at the local TASK symposium in '98, dealers could sell boats...dealers and buyers came. in '99, TASK sent dealers invites that said in bold, no boat sales... show was cancelled. (supposedly because of lack of dealers) =========== what makes for kayak symposia that have good attendence by dealers and buyers? kayak sales...yes or no? in the DC area, lesson learned (?), sell'm... bye bye bliven *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Larry asks: +AD0APQA9AD0APQA9AD0APQA9AD0APQ- what makes for kayak symposia that have good attendance by dealers and buyers? kayak sales...yes or no? no As a dealer located in another state +ADw-Oregon+AD4- than the WCSKS +ADw-Washington+AD4- we find it difficult, if not impossible to use the symposium as a sales event. We would need to procure Washington business licenses, pay Washington sales tax :p, haul our merchandise all the way up to Port Townsend, pay TAPS the +ACQAJAAk- for booth space, set up a +ACI-store+ACI-, figure out payment +ADw-VISA/MC+AD4- phone authorization, have staff available, etc. etc. just so we could match the dealer next to us on discounted price? I don't think so. Seems as though the symposiums draw a fairly large group of +ACI-bottom feeders+ACI- looking for the deal of the century. At the West Coast sympo there are many, many used boats for sale. Lots on the beach and LOTS on car tops. The big tent area is full of merchandise for sale. Everywhere you look there is stuff FOR SALE. In talking with retailers in the tent, we found that the competition is stiff, with lots of +ACI-I can get this over there for +ACQ-120, can you match this??+ACI- NO+ACEAIQAhACEAIQAhACE-ARRRRRRRRRRRRR+ACEAIQAhACEAIQAhACE- Then you lose the sale. :( Most manufacturers are there to show off their wares and support their dealers, NOT sell a bunch of boats at discount. You'll find me and my staff at the sympo helping our manufacturers, demoing boats, teaching clinics, and sharing our knowledge. Wew +ACo-do+ACo- wear our Alder Creek paddle jacs and +ACo-do+ACo- hand out business cards but you won't find us selling +ACo-a+ACo- boat. Granted some dealers are there to sell off their boats for the season, but because the competition is so stiff +ADw-with SO many boats available+AD4- IMHO, I don't think you can get a +ACo-fair+ACo- price for your fleet. My objective, in selling kayaks, has always been to not sell the customer +ACo-a+ACo- boat, but sell him on kayaking as a hobby and +ACo-invite+ACo- him to my store where he can shop for +ACo-everything+ACo- he's going to need to partake. The symposium is NOT +ADw-IMNSHO+AD4- a good venue for this. It is a GREAT venue for sharing experiences, demoing boats, education, meeting with other paddlers, and mostly having FUN+ACEAIQAhACE- Steve +ADw-Fall Sale the week after Sympo+AD4- Scherrer +ADs--) Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe 250 NE Tomahawk Isle Dr Portland, OR 97217 Phone: 503.285.0464 Fax: 503.285.0106 Web site: http://www.aldercreek.com Email: acks+AEA-teleport.com +AF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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