On Monday, October 1st, 2018 from 5:30 – 7:30pm, Soundings Trade Only will host a roundtable event during the IBEX show at the Marriott Tampa Waterside followed by a reception. The roundtable will focus on the future of marine aftermarket, boats and components. It is being sponsored by Mercury Marine and Attwood Corporation. “From mergers […]
Author: MRAA
Connecticut Waters Welcome Boating Enthusiasts with Lower Tax Rates
With a provision within Public Act 18-81 lowering the sales tax on boat purchases, boating enthusiasts across Connecticut had been eagerly anticipating the bill’s July 1 effective date to get out on the waters in new boats just in time for the July 4 holiday week. The first two weekends in July and the holiday […]
River Valley Power & Sport Acquires Bill’s Bay Marina- Colvill Park Marina
River Valley Power & Sport’s President, John Wooden, announced the acquisition of a 62 slip marina and fuel dock facilities known as Bill’s Bay Marina-Colvill Park located at 507 Nymphara LN in Red Wing, MN. The acquisition also included a showroom & marine repair facility on Hwy 61 at 1708 W 3rd Street in Red […]
MRAA History: MRAA Conference Booth
Throughout the 40 years of MRAA’s Annual Conference, the MRAA booth has been known by many names — MRAA Info Center, MRAA Rewards Pavilion, etc. — but no matter the name, MRAA’s team has always stood ready to support our dealers — at the conference or otherwise.
MRAA History: The Decade of the Dealer
In 1989, MRAA celebrated its 8th Annual National Conference, with a look ahead to the 1990s, a decade that we called the “Decade of the Dealer.” MRAA President Phil Keeter was quoted in this article as saying, “The retail marine dealer is the linchpin of the industry.” Today, we just consider every decade as the […]
Fact or Fiction? Customers Will Give You Their Contact Info
According to research conducted by Discover Boating in its “First Time Boat Buyer Research,” the answer is, “FACT,” for 66% of buyers. But only after they have purchased from you. Which makes it obvious, that trust is an issue. Members of the MRAA team attended a presentation by David Horsager, and we can tell you […]
Supreme Court Rules States Can Collect Sales Tax on Online Purchases
On June 21st the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states are allowed collect sales tax on remote Internet sales. This decision represents a significant victory for brick and mortar marine retailers. Last year, the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled that a 2016 law requiring out-of-state internet retailers to collect sales tax violates a 1992 U.S. […]
Senators Introduce Consensus Legislation to Address National Park Service Maintenance Backlog
Interior Secretary Zinke, Conservation & Recreation Groups Praise Bipartisan Consensus Legislation to Address $12 Billion National Park Service Backlog in Deferred and Overdue Maintenance WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Mark Warner (D-VA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and Angus King (I-ME) introduced the Restore Our Parks Act, bipartisan legislation that would address the nearly […]
Boating’s Fundamental Shift
Every so often, we witness major fundamental shifts in the way an industry operates. Look no further than the music industry evolving to digital delivery; peer-to-peer home sharing changing the hospitality industry; or clothing and grocery delivery altering the retail experience. While change is hard for those in the industry enduring the evolution, as time […]
David Horsager Named 2018 MDCE Opening Keynote
David Horsager, a best-selling author and expert on trust, has been chosen as the opening keynote speaker for the 2018 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo. Horsager’s keynote presentation “Build Trust or Die in the New Economy” is set for Monday, Dec. 10. Horsager will teach attendees how to create an actionable framework for earning trust […]
