Lastminuteboathire.com

[Broads01]

I found out about lastminuteboathire.com from the Herbert Woods special offers page. Despite the generic sounding name and suggestion of up to 40% discount it seems to be Herbert Woods boats only and the prices are, erm, exactly the same as on the Herbert Woods website. Is this a strange, pointless form of marketing I don't know about or am I missing the point?

[Dan]

Hard to know really... it's been going a while and I imagine some of the thinking is the web address will pull in different people to the standard HW website, and come up in different search terms, though as you say it does give the misleading impression/expectation that it covers boat hire not one boat fleet.

The appearance is also closely similar to the HW site, especially once you've done a search etc.

I guess on one hand it is good to see fleets adapting and trying new things as things need to continually evolve, but I was a bit under-whelmed and thought it devalued their product the first time I saw it and also think it has the opportunity to create more issues than it solves. Once you'd found it I think it would create the impression that you can book through one website and get a different price to the other, as one appears to offer cheapest/best value on the net type of outlook. Creating such a scenario or possible interpretation is not good for long term business and building a bank of loyal customers who are passionate about your brand (in my opinion) and book year in year out and well ahead, but perhaps it has got them some bookings, and sometimes the short term has an immediate priority that cant be ignored.

Dan

[littlesprite]

I'm not sure but think that HW are no longer with any booking agents, they probably saw this as a way to attract new business rather than existing customers.

[Dan]

I'm not sure but think that HW are no longer with any booking agents, they probably saw this as a way to attract new business rather than existing customers.

They are still with Waterways Holidays (online agent) but like you think part of the idea is to appeal/pull in different customers to their main site

Dan

[Hemel_Dave]

I found this site over a year ago if you search within a couple of weeks of start date the discounts can be quite good.

[Barry and Nicola]

Hi,

I just had a quick scout on both sites mentioned and if you were prepared to go on friday for a week there is a saving of over £200 on the usual prices.

Good luck

Barry

[minor2011]

A quick server check shows this website was registered by John Butler Broads Haven Pottr Heigham

So it is Herbert Woods second website

[senator]

I can understand them using a separate web site to push out any boats left with only a week to get them booked. Better to have them out at cost than in and costing.

That said it can be the start of a downward spiral as the travel industry found to its cost when everyone started waiting till the last minute to book anything.