Yes, the buying part’s a snap, but it doesn’t necessarily follow that all sellers are equally reliable or that their products live up to their advertised claims. Boat buying on the Internet can be very complicated, for example:

• A California member was the recent high bidder on a boat auctioned on e-Bay. He tried to obtain ownership papers after the sale was completed — and his check was cashed — but the seller failed to provide either the boat’s title or a signed purchase agreement. When the buyer tried to track down the seller, he reached someone in Seattle who claimed to have no knowledge of the boat or the person who put it up for auction.



• A buyer in Iowa contracted in March to purchase what a Chesapeake, VA, dealer advertised online as a new leftover 1999 Baja boat. The buyer paid over $38,000 for the boat and, only after it was delivered, did he discover that the vessel definitely was not in new condition. Mold and mildew in the cabin, wine stains on the upholstery and cigarette burns everywhere left the owner fed up. “We’ve spent five days cleaning this boat and it is impossible for us to put it in new condition,” he said. “I have not even put the boat into the water to check for mechanical soundness.”
  
  The dealer hasn’t responded to his request for either complete repairs, a replacement boat or a complete refund of the purchase price, perhaps counting on the buyer’s reluctance to file a lawsuit against a company over 1,000 miles away. An investigator with the Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs told BoatUS, “I have no illusions that this complaint can be solved to anyone’s satisfaction.”



• Another boating consumer voiced a problem faced by online shoppers, “I have spent the last six months cruising the Web sites of many boat manufacturers preparing myself for what will (hopefully) be a well-informed purchase decision. Despite the slick Web site designs and pretty pictures, the availability of hard information, particularly in the realm of pricing, is slim. The automotive industry is chock full of Web sites that have incredible detail regarding MSRP's [manufacturer’s suggested retail prices], invoice prices, cost of options and the like. Yet nowhere was I able to find something even remotely similar for the boating industry.”

Although there isn’t a fail-safe keyboard command or the equivalent of a virus scan to check the credentials of sellers or the quality of goods ordered online, some of the troubles experienced by these consumers can be avoided by taking a few precautions.

Checking Credentials

“No matter how impressive a company’s Web site, if you’re not familiar with a company’s reputation, it’s important to check up on it,” according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

“There’s no fail-safe way to identify a con artist,” the FTC warns, “but you can help protect yourself by checking with the state or local consumer protection office, the Better Business Bureau or the state Attorney General in the state where the seller is based.” The FTC also recommends checking Web sites, like www.bizrate.com, that offer consumers’ evaluations of various online businesses.

Make sure you have some way other than e-mail to contact the seller, especially if it’s a private party deal. Obtain a phone number and verify the seller’s name and address by calling Information, (area code) 555-1212. It’s not a guarantee that nothing will go wrong, but you can at least find out whether the phone number is a bona fide residence or business, rather than a pay phone, cell phone or even a phony number.

Check the feedback postings found on auction sites like e-Bay. These show customer satisfaction levels for quality of merchandise, pricing, service and on-time delivery and you may be able to contact former customers by e-mail to learn more.

When shopping by computer, write down or print out all information relating to the transaction, including the name, address and phone number of the person with whom you are dealing, delivery dates, terms and return policies.

Don’t Buy On Faith When Buying Online

Manufacturers’ Web sites do a great job of marketing new models. But, few sell directly to the public. Instead, buyers are directed to work with dealers in their local area where the actual sale can be completed the old fashioned and, for consumers, the safe way. Not only is it much easier to get reliable service, but it is easier to obtain warranty work if you buy locally.

Some new boats, often leftover models, are sold online at dealers’ Web sites. Ask for detailed photographs and read carefully about manufacturer’s warranty coverage or the seller’s guarantee. Obtain the boat’s hull identification number from the dealer and contact the manufacturer to verify that warranty coverage is indeed available and that the boat is actually new, and hasn’t been used as a demo or boat show model. If the seller is not close to where the boat will be kept, ask the manufacturer to arrange with a local dealer to perform warranty service. As the Iowa owner described in the beginning of this article discovered, it is all but impossible to force a long-distance dealer to cooperate with repairs.

Whether buying a used boat from a dealer or a private owner, don’t forget the all-important marine survey inspection. Do not rely on a surveyor recommended by the seller or an inspection report prepared for the previous owner or insurer. Instead, hire your own surveyor and stipulate in your written purchase agreement that the sale is contingent on a satisfactory inspection.

When it comes to prices on new and used boats, the consumer quoted in the beginning of this article hit the nail on the head. Prices generally are not listed online. BoatUS visited the Web sites of a dozen major builders and found pricing information was offered by only one. Once again, consumers must resort to scanning price tags at brick-and-mortar boat dealerships or boat shows. However, Motorboating & Sailing publishes a buyers’ guide each June, in which retail prices for most boats are listed. Surveyors and used boat price guides found in the reference section of your library can also help with used boat values.

E-buyers face a few other costs on top of the purchase price: shipping fees and sales or excise tax. It can cost thousands of dollars to ship a boat overland, so be sure to nail down this cost — and who will be liable for damages during shipping — before clinching the deal.

Also be aware that if you are buying out of state you may face sales or excise taxes when you attempt to register the boat in your home state.

Paying the Price

Assuming that you’re satisfied with the boat, its condition and its price, the next step is to consummate the deal and obtain ownership papers.

Paying by credit card is normally the most secure method but this might not be possible if you are buying a boat whose price exceeds your credit limit. Never send cash and, if at all possible, deposit your check or money order with an escrow service. For a fee generally paid by the buyer, escrow services hold the buyer’s payment, releasing it to the seller only after the buyer receives and accepts the merchandise.

Insist that private sellers provide you with documentation proving ownership (for example, their bill of sale, registration papers or insurance records) before you pay for the boat. Both parties should also agree in writing on a delivery date for the boat and transfer of its title.

Help Is At Hand

• The BoatUS Consumer Protection Bureau maintains the nation’s only database of consumer information about boats and engines, dealers and other businesses. Members can access this information by e-mailing ConsumerProtection@BoatUS.com.



• The BoatUS referral list of independent marine surveyors is available here (http://www.boatus.com/insurance/survey.htm) or by calling 800-283-2883.



• The BoatUS Value Check service provides fair market price information on used boats. Call 800-274-4877 or visit www.BoatUS.com and click on the “Boat Buyer Service” icon.



• Newly-published defect recall notices are available through the BoatUS National Recall Alert Registry found at www.BoatUS.com/recall. The complete database of manufacturer recalls is available at www.uscgboating.org.



• The BoatUS Settlement Service can set up escrow accounts. Call 703-941-1973.



• The BoatUS Consumer Protection Bureau mediates boat and engine disputes with marine businesses on behalf of Association members. Call 703-461-2856 or e-mail ConsumerProtection@BoatUS.com.

(c) Copyright BoatUS Magazine, November 2000