St. Louis-based Rollick, a marketing and customer experience service provider serving the marine, powersports and RV industries, has analyzed and released data on boat sales during the pandemic.
The company found that the percent of first-time boat buyers increased from 15 percent in Q2 2019 to 20 percent in Q2 2020. This represents a 33 percent year-over-year growth during what is traditionally the busiest quarter of the selling season.
The data was collected from actual boat owners who purchased a boat from OEMs, as well as dealers who participate in the National Marine Manufacturer Association’s (NMMA) Marine Industry Customer Satisfaction Index Program administered by Rollick.
“Demand for recreational boating increased as consumers looked for safe and fun ways to enjoy time with friends and family during the pandemic,” said Mike Adams, vice president of marine solutions at Rollick. “Most boat segments saw a measurable increase in first time buyers with Bowriders, Wake/ski, pontoon and deck boats leading the way. Based upon survey responses, almost one out of every three new Bowriders was purchased by a first-time buyer. Wake/ski boats, pontoons and deck boats saw first-time buyer growth of 28 percent, 38 percent and 25 percent respectively.”
