I think it would be a great advertising ploy if every manufacturer/retailer offered free safety lessons with every boat sold Ron Dunnington *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Ron writes: > I think it would be a great advertising ploy if every manufacturer/retailer > offered free safety lessons with every boat sold > I don't want to sound like a Scrooge but it is really hard to be competitive in today's market AND give away anything. Especially in considering where do you draw the line? A fairly complete safety lesson( beginner lesson) takes 4 hours and costs $60. We highly recommend them to ALL paddlers and do sell quite a few but to give it away would be a nightmare. Steve (who lives on retail $$$) Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe N 45º 39' 47" 250 NE Tomahawk Isle Dr. W 122º 36' 16" Portland, OR 97217 Web: www.aldercreek.com Phone: 503.285.0464 Email: aldercreek_at_qwest.net *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 4/18/2002 4:46:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time, rbdunningtons1_at_charter.net writes: > I think it would be a great advertising ploy if every manufacturer/retailer > offered free safety lessons with every boat sold > It would also be a great idea, but you don't understand, Ron: kayak manufacturers have lawyers who tell them that, if you give one lesson, you'll be sued by survivors for not giving ten. If you give ten, it should have been 20, with rolling skills guaranteed. That's why the lawyers write those "this-coffee-is-hot" disclaimers that you see in ads and glued inside boats these days. In defense of the builders, they can't afford to be a little proactive, because it'll never be enough. That's why local clubs are so important --- they give the retailers, who face the same sorts of problems, an out: "go see the people at the CPA (or whatever ...) --- they'll tell you all about safety. We can't afford to!" We live in a litigious world. Joq *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
That's just plain silly. And yes, I am a litigator. JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com wrote: > It would also be a great idea, but you don't understand, Ron: kayak > manufacturers have lawyers who tell them that, if you give one lesson, you'll > be sued by survivors for not giving ten. If you give ten, it should have > been 20, with rolling skills guaranteed. That's why the lawyers write those > "this-coffee-is-hot" disclaimers that you see in ads and glued inside boats > these days. In defense of the builders, they can't afford to be a little > proactive, because it'll never be enough. That's why local clubs are so > important --- they give the retailers, who face the same sorts of problems, > an out: "go see the people at the CPA (or whatever ...) --- they'll tell you > all about safety. We can't afford to!" > > We live in a litigious world. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Some retailers (including the one in my previous town) do give free lessons to new boat purchasers. The cost is minimal per boat sold, for several new paddlers take the class at one time. It results in follow-up business for the retailer as the new paddlers start seeing how different gear is used. The classes are held at the canoe club, which helps the new paddlers continue with their new sport rather than drift away, which again leads to more gear and boat sales to the retailer over the years. All in all, a lot of business comes out of very minimal effort. Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe wrote: > Ron writes: > > I think it would be a great advertising ploy if every > manufacturer/retailer > > offered free safety lessons with every boat sold > > > > I don't want to sound like a Scrooge but it is really hard to be competitive > in today's market AND give away anything. Especially in considering where > do you draw the line? A fairly complete safety lesson( beginner lesson) > takes 4 hours and costs $60. > > We highly recommend them to ALL paddlers and do sell quite a few but to give > it away would be a nightmare. > > Steve (who lives on retail $$$) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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