Boating Industry

March 2015

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38 | Boating Industry | March 2015 www.BoatingIndustry.com /// Market Trends /// With innovation also comes customization. Part of SmokerCraft's incentive to expand R&D was to better track customization of its products for customers. "We want the customer's experience to be a good one down the road, that we can provide parts and service to the boat that was customized in the fi rst place," Barrett said One such prominent customization is the new painted tubes for the Sylvan line, which were de- veloped to address the loss of initial showroom luster of tubes when exposed to the water over a period of time. The tubes are painted using the same process as SmokerCraft and Starcraft's alu- minum fi shing boats, which Barrett says ensures a long-lasting fi nish. "These painted tubes really help preserve the look of the boat," said Barrett. "The customers who have seen it love it." The power of choice Customers also want choice when selecting the interior of the boat, customizing their entertain- ment and comfort features. "They want to come in and choose their par- ticular interior, their fl ooring, their tube confi gu- ration," said Barrett. "We're starting to see this trend within boats that people are coming and they're willing to pay to get what they want." To meet this demand, SmokerCraft's pon- toon brands are offering more than seven differ- ent fl ooring options, three vinyl choices and fi ve colors for the railing exterior. The power of choice is also important when choosing an engine, for customers and dealers. Larson, SmokerCraft and Premier all partner with Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, BRP and Mercury. "We prefer to have the customer make that decision. People are passionate about their motor brand selections and we don't feel like we need to sway them one way or the other," said Melbostad. Larson says engines have huge loyalties and followings, and it's important to allow customers to choose what brand is for them. "Not being able to dictate to people what they have to buy is a huge selling feature for us," said Parmentier. As pontoons' growth period continues, man- ufacturers are looking to the customers for cues on what products they want to buy. And as con- sumers continue to enjoy pontoons for their ver- satility, performance is a key purchasing factor. Touch screen technology, Bluetooth connectivity and LED lighting are high priorities for pontoon customers, according to Barrett. Young buyers want their pontoons to have the capability to perform in various applications, and Premier believes its high-performance pontoons have helped attract these customers.

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