Perspective on Skeeter Package Pricing

Hey all,

One of the more significant announcements that came out of the Skeeter Dealer Meeting last week was that the MX 2040 and the WX 2060 would be offered as complete “packages” for 2016 with all packages available at a set price. Buyers would have 10 color schemes to choose from and no substitutions of equipment would be offered.

The first question everyone has been asking is how much of a savings can this kind of package arrangement come to?

For comparison sake, I had a friend at a Skeeter dealership put together comparative pricing for a Skeeter bass boat that was offered last season under this same type of package pricing scenario.

Here’s what he came back with –

“2014 ZX-20 w/ VF225LA base priced @ $50,500. No accessories.

2015 ZX-225 w/ VF225LA loaded with options @ $48,995. 2 locators (HDS Gen 2 Touch), hamby keel guard, 8′ Pro Series 2 Power-Pole, Fortrex 112 bow mount, aluminum wheels, etc, etc.”

Same boat but one model year newer. Same motor. $1500 savings and you go from a completely stripped down boat to one that’s completely rigged.

So yeah, we’re talking about some real money here. It will be very interesting to see how the pricing compares once the cost savings from the OffShore to the new VMAX SHO is figured in as well.

I know a lot of people probably don’t like the no substitutions thing and not being able to customize your colors.

However I wasn’t even considering getting a WX 2060 until I heard about this deal. I am stoked and I will be placing an order sometime this fall.

I understand why Skeeter is doing it (limit the configurations at the factory = kicking out more Skeeters) but being forced into a cookie cutter package after spending over $50k on a new boat…yikes…

This is why you see all the “Never Used” Gen2 Lowrances & Power Poles for sale on bassboat sites this year. Nice of Skeeter to pass along potential savings to customers as Lowrance and Powerpole eat any profit now betting on getting repeat buyers a year or two down the road when upgrading…

For the average angler packages are attractive. Less decisions and a lower cost.

Look at the housing market. People are spending $400,000 and building houses with only a couple floor plan options and a half dozen design options to choose from. It’s cheaper than a custom house and people have a hard time even making a half dozen decisions.

I think you can talk this cookie cutter boat up all you want. But at the end of the day its still going to be above $59,000. There is no way I would want to spend that kind of money and not get what I want on the boat. I can see it in a 1910 but not in the 2060s and 2190s. Im gald I purchased mine this last spring. The skeeter dealerships in my area were crazy busy this past spring!! Hope they dont ruin a great thing going. Sorry to be Mr Negative!! Just my 2 pennies

[Quote]Sorry to be Mr Negative!! Just my 2 pennies [/quote]

No reason to be sorry. A package boat certainly isn’t for everyone. I know guys that spend months messing with the online boat builder trying to pick custom colors! Others will be all over the savings like a fat kid on a cupcake. I know this type of promo has been massively successful in the bass market.

Another thing worth mentioning, the WX2190 is NOT going to be offered as a package boat. This only applies to the MX2040 and WX2060.

When you say offered as a package boat, is that ONLY as a package boat or is it just an option?

riverrat56 wrote:

When you say offered as a package boat, is that ONLY as a package boat or is it just an option?

The only way the WX2060 or MX2040 will be sold next year will be as a package boat. All other models will be unchanged.

Thanks for the response James.

Sadly I’m not in the new boat market this coming year, it would be a Wx2000T if I was. Hopefully these package deals work out for Skeeter, seems like a great price point on a great boat.

I think it will be interesting with the WX2060. I know the price is going to be very aggressive and should really up the number of sales. The boat also now comes with a setback plate standard or optional jackplate. This boat will have better overall performance!! The boat I believe will be all of 10k cheaper then the competition.

For the most part Ranger has their color options that people stick with to avoid the upcharge. People also order them pre-rigged with electronics.

Does the 2060 come with a kicker at that price? On the Standards and Options page it lists: T9.9 Kicker Engine Only or w/Package (Not installed at factory) (choose one as std). It looks like it’s standard since the there is a solid circle while the options are shown with an “o”. Am I reading that wrong? That would make it even more of a killer deal.

BTW does anyone know offhand if Skeeter uses polyester resin, vinyl ester, or a combo for building the hulls?

Yes from what I was told the package price includes a kicker.

James Holst wrote:

Hey all,

One of the more significant announcements that came out of the Skeeter Dealer Meeting last week was that the MX 2040 and the WX 2060 would be offered as complete “packages” for 2016 with all packages available at a set price. Buyers would have 10 color schemes to choose from and no substitutions of equipment would be offered.

The first question everyone has been asking is how much of a savings can this kind of package arrangement come to?

For comparison sake, I had a friend at a Skeeter dealership put together comparative pricing for a Skeeter bass boat that was offered last season under this same type of package pricing scenario.

Here’s what he came back with –

“2014 ZX-20 w/ VF225LA base priced @ $50,500. No accessories.

2015 ZX-225 w/ VF225LA loaded with options @ $48,995. 2 locators (HDS Gen 2 Touch), hamby keel guard, 8′ Pro Series 2 Power-Pole, Fortrex 112 bow mount, aluminum wheels, etc, etc.”

Same boat but one model year newer. Same motor. $1500 savings and you go from a completely stripped down boat to one that’s completely rigged.

So yeah, we’re talking about some real money here. It will be very interesting to see how the pricing compares once the cost savings from the OffShore to the new VMAX SHO is figured in as well.

Will there be different packages available such as a Humminbird electronics package vs. Lowrance?

mh454 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>James Holst wrote:</div>
Hey all,

One of the more significant announcements that came out of the Skeeter Dealer Meeting last week was that the MX 2040 and the WX 2060 would be offered as complete “packages” for 2016 with all packages available at a set price. Buyers would have 10 color schemes to choose from and no substitutions of equipment would be offered.

The first question everyone has been asking is how much of a savings can this kind of package arrangement come to?

For comparison sake, I had a friend at a Skeeter dealership put together comparative pricing for a Skeeter bass boat that was offered last season under this same type of package pricing scenario.

Here’s what he came back with –

“2014 ZX-20 w/ VF225LA base priced @ $50,500. No accessories.

2015 ZX-225 w/ VF225LA loaded with options @ $48,995. 2 locators (HDS Gen 2 Touch), hamby keel guard, 8′ Pro Series 2 Power-Pole, Fortrex 112 bow mount, aluminum wheels, etc, etc.”

Same boat but one model year newer. Same motor. $1500 savings and you go from a completely stripped down boat to one that’s completely rigged.

So yeah, we’re talking about some real money here. It will be very interesting to see how the pricing compares once the cost savings from the OffShore to the new VMAX SHO is figured in as well.

Will there be different packages available such as a Humminbird electronics package vs. Lowrance?

And different sized motors on the MX?

FDR

francisco4 wrote:

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Will there be different packages available such as a Humminbird electronics package vs. Lowrance?

And different sized motors on the MX?

The 250 SHO will be the only motor offering for 2016 from Skeeter.

FDR

Skeeter will only offer Lowrance, but we “SBC” plan to assist customers with other electronics preferences on a one on one basis.

Will there be different packages available such as a Humminbird electronics package vs. Lowrance?

And different sized motors on the MX?

The 250 SHO will be the only motor offering for 2016 from Skeeter.

FDR

Skeeter will only offer Lowrance, but we “SBC” plan to assist customers with other electronics preferences on a one on one basis.
[/quote

That was a quick answer! Thanks Dean.

Ryan wrote:

There is no way I would want to spend that kind of money and not get what I want on the boat. I can see it in a 1910 but not in the 2060s and 2190s.

having just bought a WX1910, i take a bit of umbrage to this! hell, after all the upgrades and whirley-gigs were in place, i’m pushed up within spitting distance of $60k…is that enough to entitle me to being picky too? i bought a 19′ boat because it matches my needs, not to save money. maybe that’s not true for everyone, but advertised pricing and “how you want it” pricing don’t actually live in the same neighborhood. regardless of price, people buying new boats tend to be paying a lot of money for their own budget. whether that’s $30k or $80k, they want to have it their way as much as possible.

Dean Marshall wrote:

Skeeter will only offer Lowrance, but we “SBC” plan to assist customers with other electronics preferences on a one on one basis.

i’ve bought 7 new fiberglass boats over the past 10 years, ranging from 17’6″ up through 20′. on some of those boats i did complete gelcoat color customizing, but on my last 2 (Skeeters) i bought from the dealer showroom. i’ve always wanted colors i like, but have never gotten hung up on whether someone else designed those colors or if i chose each stripe. as long as the color options are good, people will be satisfied; this is probably what’s already happening when Skeeter looks at their sales data anyway.

that said, choosing my own electronics is an absolute must. brand is an emotional thing for a lot of people, and could be a non-starter. even if the package comes with my preferred brand, i still want to choose the size and options on that unit. for example, i want both my preferred brand (Humminbird), larger display sizes than what comes on boat packages, and to choose my own install locations. (getting rid of these at point-of-sale reduces dealer install profit as well.) and while the dealer can obviously swap them out, there goes my supposed package savings on the electronics. i hope Lowrance paid Skeeter a ton of money for this preferential treatment.

these kinds of business decisions aren’t random, and they sure aren’t intended to irritate customers. my inference is that the WX2190s are a small enough market that those people will pay the extra money for complete customization on every boat, whereas they’re trying to get the WX2060s and MX2040s less expensive in order to attract enough customers to drive sales and profit. the folks at Skeeter are pretty smart, so i’m sure they know what they’re doing…right?

From what I see at the NWT tournaments some guys should NOT be picking their own color combinations

clawman wrote:

From what I see at the NWT tournaments some guys should NOT be picking their own color combinations

LOL

Looking at the Options tab for the 2060 you can have it come rigged with Bird dash and bow, networked….etc

When is the pricing for these boats going to come out and what’s all exactly included?

fi3hinfr3ak101 wrote:

When is the pricing for these boats going to come out and what’s all exactly included?

http://WWW.skeeterboats.com/wx2060
http://www.skeeterboats.com/mx2040

I see the mx is under powered, rated for 300 hp and only putting a 250 in the package. This really hurts the resale value. I know. Sbc told me that about my under powered aluminum boat when I wanted to trade it in.

Lowrance graph with a Minnkota trolling motor? Hmmmm? Don’t even see the Xi5 as an option. Anyone in the know will still have rigging costs.

David Blais wrote:

I see the mx is under powered, rated for 300 hp and only putting a 250 in the package. This really hurts the resale value. I know. Sbc told me that about my under powered aluminum boat when I wanted to trade it in.

I encourage you and or anyone else to drive the 250 SHO set-up and then see if you feel it is underpowered. We have a mx here at Ramsey with the 250 SHO and our Skeeter rep just brought a WX2060 with the SHO back from the dealer meeting.

I believe it’s properly powered, but… According to the sticker, it’s not maxed out on power. That’s were the issue comes in. Especially for resale value

David Blais wrote:

I see the mx is under powered, rated for 300 hp and only putting a 250 in the package. This really hurts the resale value. I know. Sbc told me that about my under powered aluminum boat when I wanted to trade it in.

I understand your concern as I had the same concern. I have driven the MX2025 with the following power plants:
1) 300hp offshore
2) 200 hp 2 stroke
3) 200 hp in-line 4.

I ended up with option 3. I obviously have less top end then the larger motors. I was really surprised with how I plain out. I recently took a long time fishing friend out for our first trip in my MX 2025. He was VERY skeptical and was even almost mad that I didn’t MAX the HP. When I first hit it he looked at me like I was tricking him. Through out the day I noticed him opening up compartments and checking it out. I soon realized that he was checking to see if I was running it empty. At the end of the day he simply said, so how does this work? I told him I really believe it has to do with the hull design. Are there times I wish I had a 300 on the back? Sure! Specifically when I had 6 people on board and a full livewell. In all, you got to ask yourself where else can you get a 20ft glass boat for under $45k brand new. The savings will put a ton of gas into the tow vehicle and boat.

For my family and how/where we spend 80% of our fishing time, it is the perfect boat for us.

FDR

Personally they should of had the MX2040 rated for a 250. The WX2060 is a much bigger boat and its rated for a 250. With the SHO it will perform not much behind the 300 offshore, with a much cheaper price tag!

On the other hand those of us with MX 2025s with 300 offshore might see a bump in resale value to someone who wants digital throttle and smart gauge with a 300 to boot! On a side note I LOVE my offshore GREAT motor

Josh Freeseman wrote:

On the other hand those of us with MX 2025s with 300 offshore might see a bump in resale value to someone who wants digital throttle and smart gauge with a 300 to boot! On a side note I LOVE my offshore GREAT motor

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