Drive Success in Your Pre-Owned Boat Business

One of the most significant opportunities to fuel your bottom line, especially in today’s market place, can be found in your pre-owned boat business. If you can create an effective system for securing, servicing, marketing and selling pre-owned inventory, you can boost your dealership’s revenue and profitability while also creating more stability for your team and your business. This page and accompanying MRAA Guide to Pre-Owned Boat Sales is designed to be your shortcut to success, a resource packed with knowledge, experience, tools and proven process gleaned from those already finding success.

Improving your pre-owned game, however, is something that will serve your dealership well, both now and into the future. Long after the Covid-driven inventory shortage is a distant memory, those who excel in the pre-owned boat business will have a more stable, more profitable dealership that attracts more customers, provides a better overall experience and serves those customers throughout a longer boat ownership journey. Get started with improving your pre-owned business today.

Confidence in Your Pre-Owned Boat Business


Of all the profit centers in your dealership that challenge your path to profitability, the pre-owned boat business is among the worst offenders. It doesn’t have to be a challenge. These seven steps will help you drive confidence (and profitability) in your pre-owned business.

5 Tips to Get More Pre-Owned Boats Approved


Many marine retailers turned to selling pre-owned boats, because there are great opportunities for them to gain new customers, as well as hold strong margins. The majority of customers finance these used boats, much like they do with new boat purchases. Even if you have some that pay cash, chances are they got the funds from a bank. Here are some tips from Jared Zimlin, Director of Business Development, Elite Recreational Finance —an MRAA Education Champion — to help your team get more pre-owned vessels approved and avoid traps within this process.

11 Best Practices to Guide You to More Success in the Pre-Owned Boat Market


Expert advice may no longer hold the same weight for some, but not everyone agrees. The MRAA believes in the power of knowledge, experience, and education to transform business practices and attitudes. This led to the creation of the Pre-Owned Boat Market Article Series, aimed at helping dealers achieve better results in the marine industry’s pre-owned segment.

Get Used to Pre-Owned Boats


The recent Pulse Report survey asked dealers to share their feedback about what is and is not working for them, and also included a couple other specific questions about pre-owned boats and how they approach this part of their business.  

Delivering Value (and why it is especially important now)


In a recent and timely blog by Jerry Mona of Left Brain Marketing, he writes, “However, manufacturers of new products still need to contend with the rising cost of production and materials and so prices will continue to rise. As a result, the gap in Used vs. New prices will likely increase driving many back to pursue pre-owned products.”  

Vlog: Tactics and Strategies to Enhance Lead Generation

In this Marine Dealer Sales Training video, Mike Escorza, Valley Sales Coaching and Grant Cardone Licensee, shares tips and tactics that can help you secure more pre-owned boats by working with your sold customers, unsold customers and the “for sale by owner” group. CLICK HERE to get your free downloadable resource from VSC. 

Guide to the Pre-Owned Boat Market


The pre-owned boat market represents a $10 billion opportunity  that is ripe for helping you build your bottom line. This largely untapped market place can deliver you a competitive advantage, the most unique product line in your territory, and the best possible link to attracting first time boat buyers into your dealership. But there are many questions and hurdles to succeeding in the pre-owned market. MRAA’s Guide to the Pre-Owned Boat Market will help you navigate all of the unknowns and capture the business you deserve. MRAA Members can sign up to read this 48-page resource complete with tips, insights and tactics to help you find more success in the pre-owned boat realm. 

MRAA Members ONLY:

How to Seek & Sell More Pre-Owned Units Profitably

In the midst of the pandemic, if you’ve found yourself wondering where you can find more inventory, whether or not you should take on a manufacturer, or how you’ll meet demand in the future, you are not alone. And the good news is that there’s a simple, realistic and attainable solution for you. This session will show you real world data to support the need for seeking, acquiring and then selling more pre-owned units, as well as the necessary steps to manage your pre-owned inventory and keep your margins high.

MRAA Silver & Gold Members ONLY:

Not a Silver Member? Become one today!

Get Ahead of the Pre-Owned Opportunity

The last two years have seen a tremendous uptick in new boat sales. Previous trends demonstrate that many of those boats will end up on the pre-owned market sooner rather than later. Is your dealership ready for that? Use this course to ensure you’re prepared to take advantage of the enormous pre-owned boat opportunity coming your way. 

MRAA Silver & Gold Members ONLY:

Dealer Case Study: Buy & Sell Pre-Owned Boats

At Buckeye Sports Center in Ohio, an eight-part formula for buying and selling pre-owned boats has driven incredible success. The dealership has grown its inventory — and bottom line right along with it — as they and other dealers have struggled to secure new boat inventory. Tune into this interview with Buckeye Sports Center President Bob Armington to learn how they did it.

MRAA Silver & Gold Members ONLY:

Dealer Case Study: Pre-Owned Boat Photos & Videos

Your new boat inventory comes with a lot of shiny new photos, videos and marketing materials? But what about your pre-owned inventory? Just throw ’em on the lot and hope they sell? Not so fast. Certified Dealership N3 Boatworks out of Indiana has developed a best practice approach to marketing and showcasing its used boat inventory online through photography and video shoots. Check out this interview with Co-Owner and Operator Mark Dougherty on how they built and use this process on a small budget.

MRAA Silver & Gold Members ONLY:

Not a Silver Member? Become one today!