Guest Blog

By Nicole SchantzVP of OEM and Strategic Initiatives, Trader Interactive The introduction of online research and digital retailing tools has revolutionized the shopping experience for consumers, making it increasingly nonlinear. This means that fewer customers start their journey in the dealership. In fact, a survey conducted by Boatline revealed that 86% of marine buyers shop digitally. This means that when ...

By Nicole SchantzVP of OEM & Strategic Partnerships, Trader Interactive In recent years, the boating industry has seen a rise in the availability of electric models. To gain insight into how consumers feel about electric boats, Boatline conducted a survey to our engaged audience of marine enthusiasts. Overwhelmingly, consumers are curious about what an electric boating future looks like. As ...

By Mark Overbye I’d like to catch the culprit dripping corrosive venom on my confidence at 3am.  I’m trying to sleep.  But certain destructive demons call on me during the darkest hours.  And instead of a pleasant wake up bell, it’s alarming questions.  Will cash flow meet the demand for dollars?  How well supported is the market?  Can vendors supply ...

By Nikki Storey If you were to ask me, the number one trait required for success in the marine industry comes down to two words, problem solving.  That is where my story in the industry began, as I was asked to join Great Lakes Boat Building School (GLBBS) in Cedarville, Michigan to spearhead a campaign to establish GLBBS as a ...

By Nicole Schantz With summer in full swing, many anglers and boat enthusiasts are shopping for their next boat. It’s important that your dealership creates appealing listings that capture the attention of potential buyers and turn them into promising connections and leads that will ultimately generate sales. Boatline, an online marketplace for buying and selling boats, recently analyzed over 189,000 ...

By Mark Overbye I want one. A flamethrower. Not sure why, I guess I’m intrigued by how they came to be.  There’s a guy over there I’d really like to start on fire. Too far away to use a match. If he sees me approaching he may not ignite while he’s running away. So it’s best to be further away. The element of surprise ...

By Wanda Kenton Smith While some industries took a beating during COVID, many in the outdoor power and marine space were clobbered by unprecedented product demand. While sales and profits spiked, retailers grappled with the challenge of inventory limitations, associated supply chain and manufacturing production slowdowns.    As we venture into 2023, the cycle has shifted, inventory is building and ...

By Ryan Kloppe From raising a boat’s sails on the wide-open ocean to spending a day cruising the lake, recreational boating has been more popular than ever over the last few years. Recreational boating saw record sales in 2020, with more Americans spending time on the water to escape from the hustle and bustle on land. According to the U.S. ...

By Jeff Backus So you’re working with a customer, and they have decided on the perfect boat. They are ready to buy, you submit to the banks, and boom: decline, decline, decline. Dead deal and everyone goes home unhappy. So what happened? Let’s talk about everything you can do to get more deals bought and more customers out on the ...

By Erin Ruane How should dealerships approach emerging technology, like electric boats, that may be unfamiliar to shoppers? To help dealers craft informed strategies, Boatline, an online marketplace for buying and selling watercraft, is sharing insight from a recent survey of marine consumers to identify current electric boat trends and tips for selling them. Current electric boat trends Among survey ...