Marina negotiations

[bobbin]

I went to look at two interior jobs at a very post marina.  Both customers assured me that they were "getting other estimates".  I'm fine with that.  What troubles me is that my estimate (a marina referral) will not be competitive with "outside" bidders.  I am fine with giving the marina a "cut" of my hourly charge.  But I'm not so fine giving them the same "cut" on any materials I may supply.  How do you guys handle this... do you concede the "cut" on your hourly charge and negotiate the "cut" on the materials charge?  I don't want to cut off this link, but rather wish to impress on the marina that GREATER GOOD that a thoughtful negotiation will deliver to us both!

[Eric]

Here they want anywhere from 0 to 30%. I try to push jobs I quote in late summer, fall to store at the free facilities. At the 30% ones, I tell customer to have a talk with them. Let them know they want me to do canvas. I will then toss a couple hundred the storage facilities way. Doesn't make them happy, and they never send work my way. But, I found the job not them.
And the % is of the job, not material or labor, both.
Eric

[Mike]

ive never had a marina refer me ive had dealer like marine max  they woukd  call me  that one and there was a boat yard that wanted there cut and pay me direct and tack 30% on top tot eh customer ive also had marinas that want vendors to sign in and then they wanted 25% of the contract I never did , when I was in NH my shop was lakefront and people would btong there boats to me to work on  I heard a lot that complained a marina wouldn't let anyone in as they had there own guy , they really like I was on the water

[Mojo]

I run into this with RV dealers. They demand a dealer net price and then retail my products to their customers. I have had 4 orders from dealers in the last month and all 4 orders were from association members that I give discounts to on each order.

If they ordered directly from me they would save money as the dealers charge full blown retail prices.
I personally hide from dealers and only do orders for them when contacted. Thankfully I do not do many and most dealers do not know I exist.

I hate doing dealer orders because my margins shrink considerably.

Chris

[sofadoc]

I'm glad that I'm not in that line of work. Just reading some of the posts over the last few years on this topic (marinas, RV dealers, etc.) , it sounds like doing business with the Mob.

The nearest similarity in furniture upholstery, is probably dealing with decorators. Some of them get really PO'ed when they find out that one of their clients has bypassed them, and brought their work directly to me. It's like they "own" the territorial rights to that client in perpetuity.

That is also the point where the decorator finds out just how little I covet our relationship. I've seen a ton of decorators come and go around here over the last 30 years.........I'm still here.   

[forsailbyowner]

I never have and never will give money to a marina.  Ive told people in marinas like that if they anchor their boat for a day. I will pattern it there and deliver the canvas to the back of the boat when Im done. Nobodys found a way yet to disallow me entrance to a boat if I come from the water side and have the owners permission. I never touch their property. If they are insistent I tell them to make the payolla to the marina without involving me or simply walk away.

[Mike]

You say you pass it to there boat, forsale   Dont you ever have to i stall it like a top or windows a snap on dodger?

[forsailbyowner]

  Never been confronted. I dont know what the actual laws are but when I dont have to pass through their security and am invited to the boat am I actually on their property or the boat owners?

[papasage]

i never negotiate  my work i give a price and that is it .i don`t do  who sale  it is all retail . my time  cost the same no mater who it is

[raindodger]

At my local marina, you pay a one time fee of $75 and they give you permission to advertise at the marina (they have areas for service providers to advertise) and they give you a key for all the gates.  They never ask for any money, and all I have to do for them is show them proof of insurance once a year and they are happy.  I had talked to a couple other canvas places that refuse to work at this marina because they are under the impression that the marina wants a 30% cut.  I don't know where they got their info from, but they take it for fact, so who am I to try and change their minds???? I don't mind them staying away at all, since this is one of the biggest/nicest marina's in the area, and it's where most of my work comes from.

[Mike]

here  I rarely have a customer have a boat at a marina maybe 1 a year . most are at canal properties