Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/499779
SNOWMOBILE OEM innovations give snowcheck sales added boost BY KATE SWANSON ASSISTANT EDITOR For some powersports enthusiasts, spring is the time to trade out their heavy snow boots for more suitable footwear. For those who count down the days to the first frost, and love a good sale, spring sales of 2016 snow- mobile models is the perfect time to find their next frozen prize. In its infancy, snowcheck programs were a definitive way to make sure custom- ers could claim the upcoming season's sled before all snowmobiles were sold out, says Gary Wilkinson, senior advisor at Handlebar Motorsports in Durango, Colo. "When they were first conceived, often- times if you didn't snowcheck a particular model, that model might not be available when the season came about," he added. "At one time it was an availability issue; you snowchecked to make sure that you would be able to get the product." While earlier snowcheck programs were used for availability, now Handlebar's main customers are seasoned riders who like the new product offerings and know that snow- check promotions offer them a good deal on it. By volume, Wilkinson says the dealership sells more Arctic Cat sleds, followed closely by Yamaha. This year's successful snow- check is owed partly to the new innovations released from the OEMs. "We were quite excited by the changes that Arctic Cat made to its mountain segment, which constitutes the biggest share of our sales within the Arctic Cat line," Wilkinson said. Handlebar Motorsports has facilitated snowcheck programs since the 1980s, and although unpredictable weather is an issue, Wilkinson says that customers continue to support its programs. A successful snowcheck relies on several key factors, including weather, preseason programs and interest in the next year's mod- els. "The strength — or lack thereof — with the preseason programs directly relate to how the new product is perceived by the consumer," Wilkinson said. "If the consumer is excited by the changes that are made in the product, they are more likely to participate in the program." After two low-snow years in a row, Han- dlebar has seen a 20 percent decrease in snowmobile sales. "We live in an area that can see 100 inches of snow in town in a sea- son," Wilkinson said. "But lately we've seen years when we didn't get 20 inches. That makes a big difference in sales." Wilkinson remains positive that once the weather pro- vides a better snow foundation, sales will again increase. "It has become more difficult over time to get people to commit, I think for a variety of reasons, with the unpredict- ability of the weather being the biggest sin- gle factor," Wilkin- son said. D e s p i t e t h e p o o r w e a t h e r , Handlebar had a h e a l t h y a m o u n t of snowcheck par- ticipants this year. " W e t h i n k o u r snowcheck num- bers are going to be better compared to last year based o n w h a t w e ' v e sold so far and the deals that we've got working," Wilkin- son added. WISCONSIN WEATHER TAKES A HIT At least one Wis- consin dealership's s n o w c h e c k w a s also affected by unfavorable weather this year, according to Bob Van Zelst, owner of Don & Roy's Motorsports in Brookfield, Wis. "Last year we had some really good snows, but this year, the trails in Wisconsin never opened except for way up north," said Van Zelst, whose dealership sells Polaris, Ski- Doo and Yamaha. "A lot of people just didn't get as much usage out of their snowmobiles. It's affected snowcheck this year because people maybe didn't get enough riding in, so they Spring sales events often follow weather trends 40 • May 4, 2015 • Powersports Business www.PowersportsBusiness.com See Snowcheck, Page 41 Ronnie's in Bennington, Vt., celebrated its Fifth Annual Snow Show in November. The family-friendly event features a current snow gear fashion show, raffles and giveaways.