PWC demand shows rising interest and sales growth
Many boating enthusiasts eagerly seek out personal watercraft to kickstart their aquatic adventures. To give dealers a better understanding of the sales potential PWCs offer, Boatmart, formerly known as Boatline, dives into its marketplace data to uncover emerging consumer trends and preferences.
According to data from our sister site, PWC Trader, Sea-Doo, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Triton claimed the top four positions for the highest volume of search results page impressions on Boatmart in both 2022 and 2023. This resulted in a significant boost in revenue for PWC dealers, with the average listing price escalating from $10,327 in 2022 to $12,931 in 2023. Dealers now have the chance to prioritize specific models that will draw more attention to these top brands, taking into account various factors such as location.
The most sought-after models among consumers include the Waverunner FX, Waverunner VX, GTI and Jet-Ski, all consistently ranking high in search volume year over year. While there were some minor shifts in rankings between 2022 and 2023 with TX and Spark models making their way up, overall consumer preferences remained steady. Notably, there was a significant increase in search results page impressions for the Yamaha-Waverunner FX, rising from 11.5M to 11.7M in 2023. The Sea-Doo-GTX also experienced a substantial surge from 7.9M to 10.6M in search results page impressions. Additionally, other Sea-Doo models gaining traction among buyers include the Sea-Doo-Spark, jumping from 6.0M to 9.0M, and the Sea-Doo-Fish Pro, from 4.1M to 4.5M. With these rising stars capturing more interest, this selling season will be an opportune time to advertise them.
Apart from the leading four OEMs, Kawasaki PWCs demonstrated a significant rise in search volume on our marketplace from 9.3M to 11.8M in 2023. Honda is another sought-after PWC manufacturer by buyers, as it increased from 262.8K in 2022 to 294.4K in 2023. This shows there is some flexibility among buyers, providing dealers with these brands an opportunity to sell these units by optimizing their online visibility and offering competitive pricing.
Where consumers are searching for PWC inventory
Naturally, the location plays a significant role in PWC sales as consumers seek out inventory that is easily accessible to them. This is why we also examined the year-over-year growth trends based on location to see where dealers can most effectively reach potential buyers. Not surprisingly, the top seven locations experiencing increased sales from 2022−2023 were coastal cities or cities known for their prominent water destinations. Michigan, with its abundance of lakes, stood out as a prime example of this trend.
There was notable growth along both the east and west coasts, with prominent cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas emerging as key hotspots. Among all states, Dallas particularly stood out with the highest PWC sales increase of 30.98% year over year. Ultimately, these top seven locations present prime opportunities for geographically targeted sales strategies.
Analyzing this data reveals a thriving market for PWCs, presenting an ideal opportunity for marine dealers to capitalize on these insights and tailor their marketing strategies to align with current buyer preferences. Whether you specialize in PWC sales or intend to expand your marine inventory, the data unequivocally indicates a strong demand, paving the way for future sales success.
This article was written by Nicole Schantz, vice president of OEM and Strategic Partnerships at Trader Interactive, the parent company of Cycle Trader.
