Why don't boat brokers respond to emails?

[paulg222]

I guess perhaps they are flooded with requests or they really don't like email, but it is rare for me to get a response from a broker when I contact them for example via YachtWorld contact form. Maybe it is that it comes in via YachtWorld and they get too much junk from them?? Do other people have this issue or is it just me?

Yes I can call via phone, but brokers are often out and about, so it will go to voicemail and I won't know if they got it, and they may not respond to that either.

Meanwhile in the housing market, if you contact someone via Zillow or Realtor apps, you will get a call back like it 10 minutes. Of course commissions are more $ generally in that market so it makes sense, but still I'm hoping for something similar in boating world so the process can be less painful.

Better yet would be to actually be able to interact directly on a site like YachtWorld which could store the conversation history and keep it separate from my other emails, and maybe even have a feature to give ratings for brokers (so they have incentive to respond quickly), boat types, etc. Is there any site like that?

[Jammer]

Often brokers will conclude that a particular lead isn't worth their time. It may not be you. If they think the boat is overpriced for what it is and won't sell they won't put in the time. If from your email or phone message, informed by the dollar amount of the transaction, they don't believe you're likely to follow through and buy, they often won't respond.

[S/V Illusion]

Unlike real estate brokers who are professional and licensed, boat brokers are often neither.

[psk125]

We haven't had this problem with any of the brokers we've been dealing with lately. We've gotten responses from from MD to MA from five or six different ones. They ARE busy. Many of the boats we asked about were already sold or under contract, so perhaps that factors in, along with the price making it worth more for them to follow up on the more expensive potential sales.

[Letterkenny]

I ask this question every day. Pain in the butt to get in contact with them and still hard to get any info with a boat on order. While the sale is done, I’m asking about adding commissioning options which means more money. I’d think they would want to respond to that but apparently not.

[capn_billl]

They are very busy, and get a lot of tire kickers.

They don't take you seriously until you walk in with a contract.

[Capt Clark]

Paulg222,

As a broker here in Miami, I get several emails weekly and I respond to all of them. It helps if you add additional comments when submitting a request such as “How can we schedule a visit?” or “Will the owner accept cash?” It’s designed for the user to just hit a button and send the “I’m interested in more details....” message that is already there but it can be overwhelming sometimes for the broker. An email with a specific question and a phone call or voicemail should get any brokers full attention. You may also want to ask the help of a local broker. Let them search for you; it doesn’t cost you and may save you some cash.

S/V Illusion, As you probably know Florida brokers are required to be licensed and bonded.

Capt Clark

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by Capt Clark

Paulg222,

As a broker here in Miami, I get several emails weekly and I respond to all of them. It helps if you add additional comments when submitting a request such as “How can we schedule a visit?” or “Will the owner accept cash?” It’s designed for the user to just hit a button and send the “I’m interested in more details....” message that is already there but it can be overwhelming sometimes for the broker. An email with a specific question and a phone call or voicemail should get any brokers full attention. You may also want to ask the help of a local broker. Let them search for you; it doesn’t cost you and may save you some cash.

S/V Illusion, As you probably know Florida brokers are required to be licensed and bonded.

Capt Clark

What does that licensing require and how does it increase professionalism?

[C420sailor]

There’s a Beneteau dealer near me that is completely useless. Over the years I’ve called, emailed...looking for parts, service, all sorts of things. Got in touch with a human ONCE in five years. He told me to send him pics. I sent.

No reply.

Unless you’re ready to plop down a few hundred thou on a boat, they don’t give a ****.

[Scubaseas]

Last time I was looking for a boat I rarely heard back from a broker on any boats listed under $100K. I understand some brokers are busy and can't be bothered with anything under $80K to $100K. Rare is the broker that will email back. Sometimes a phone call works better. I like it when I have cash in hand, want to see the boat but have to fly/drive 6 to 10 hours to see it only to arrive to find out it was in contract and has been sold. Nice....

[Cadence]

Look at your terminology. If it sounds like you're a tire kicker you might not get a response. Just a suggestion.

[scargo]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Look at your terminology. If it sounds like you're a tire kicker you might not get a response. Just a suggestion.

Could you please list all the terminology used by "tire kickers" that we can avoid them in the future ?


Absolute nonsense! this is simply perception. Any "tire kicker" can be turned into a buyer if the salesperson is doing his job. Any potential buyer could be perceived as a "tire kicker" by a bad salesperson ... and loosing a sale.

[Montanan]

Consider closing your email remarks with a statement like: How much Above the asking price will the seller accept for an all cash offer closing with in the week?

[BillKny]

If you are not getting a response from any broker you contact--ever--it is unlikely the problem is with all the boat brokers in the world.

Start with NOT using the YachtWorld contact form.

If you are TRULY interested in a boat, take the extra 5 minutes and send an email directly to the personnel email of the broker. They are not hard to find. Tell him WHY you are interested in a a particular boat, and what you need from him. Be specific. Do you want to see the boat right away? Do you have a particular question? If you have a question, what will you do once you get an answer? Maybe you want to schedule a phone call to go over some details? Make your request concrete and actionable. Show you are serious.

How about posting a sample email that you send out that gets ignored? Maybe we can help you draft something that will get you more response?

There are a some yacht brokers who are incompetent, a few who are outright crooks, a lot who are work-a-day guys doing their best, and a few who are awesome, capable, highly knowledgable, helpful professionals with integrity who add a lot of value to the transaction.

It is just a fact of life that the truly good ones have good reputations, and a lot of business. They pretty quickly end up migrating to the higher-priced end of the market, because that's where they can leverage their skills to make more money. The guys with less competence, and less hustle, are left to sell the cheaper boats.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by scargo

Any "tire kicker" can be turned into a buyer if the salesperson is doing his job. Any potential buyer could be perceived as a "tire kicker" by a bad salesperson... and loosing a sale.

As a person who formerly worked in sales, I will say this is ABSOLUTELY TRUE!

A good sales person knows that almost ALL buyers start out as tire kickers. The sales person's job is to convince them to move beyond that. They are already interested, or they wouldn't be kicking tires. Sales people who dismiss potential buyers as a "tire kicker" are IDIOTS!