How eCommerce Can Expand Your Marina Market

While plenty has been said on this blog about the benefits of a marina-based business management system as well as application programming interfaces, what if your operation isn’t quite there yet? Let’s first establish that you have a sparkling website with all sorts of attractive pictures, background information on the company, and what your business can do for customers. Now, how can an ecommerce feature on your website take your business to the next level?

To get to the point where you have a fully-integrated system designed to increase convenience for your customer base as well as efficiency for your staff, you’ll definitely have to start with the basics. Namely, that means an ecommerce feature on your website. You can definitely get some help with that courtesy of products and services provided by DockMaster, but if you still need convincing, here are a few reasons why ecommerce is an amenity you should not overlook.

Extending The Reach Of Your Business

Let’s first assume you have the products and services your marina provides posted right on your website, including a description, and a listing of their features and of course the price. But what if a customer wants to order right away without having to call or stop by your marina? Given the current climate, anything you can provide customers without them having to physically stop by will be a massive boost for your business. Offering an eCommerce solution means all your customer has to do is click a few boxes on an order form, provide mailing and billing details, and then simply click ‘submit’.

The fact that someone can order your products remotely and quickly also means you can extend the reach of your business beyond previous geographical and logistical complications. Rather than limiting your clientele to your marina’s immediate surroundings, an ecommerce feature on your website can connect you with marketing prospects around the world.

24/7 Availability For Your Customers

Besides location, the barriers of time are overcome, since a customer can place an order during off hours! Your ecommerce site literally works around the clock, making money for you even during those hours when you’re not on the job.

So, you have a nifty operation on a picturesque pier and that alone might result in great business. The benefit of an ecommerce site means you don’t have to physically expand your operation to accommodate that virtual business. In fact, most processes involving ecommerce can be created automatically, eliminating the need for extra staff or office space. Additionally, other aspects of the business like marketing and customer relations can be added into the ecommerce infrastructure to create even greater efficiencies.

Another benefit of consideration is that you don’t even need to be in the office to handle all those orders in your inbox. If you have a laptop or a smartphone, you can easily handle the extra business anywhere you have a decent internet connection.

Tracking Your Source Of Business

Finally, there’s a long term benefit– besides convenience and efficiency with ecommerce– that will have a significant impact on your marina. It has to do with the information collected from your orders. For instance, you can track the hottest times and dates for boat rentals or examine which items in your inventory moved the most, whether they be boat parts or accessories. With that data, you can decide where to focus your efforts, optimizing your business by minimizing uncertainty in executive decision making.

Seamless integration options to set up online store

Fortunately, setting up an e-commerce platform is easier than ever. Marine and marina businesses now have the option to set up an online store using DockMaster’s online sales integration to Shopify, powered by SpeedyDock. This integration creates an ecommerce platform for operators to conduct online sales using Shopify. Marine businesses can now add a revenue stream at a reasonable cost. To learn more about our online sales integration, reach out to your DockMaster account rep or contact our sales team here.