Myth vs. Fact: What You Really Need To Know
As the winter boat show season wraps up, we wanted to say thanks. It was great to connect with you and your teams, hear your feedback, and discuss how we can continue enhancing our products and services. Your insights–both constructive and passionate–are invaluable, and we appreciate the honest conversations.
We believe real service from real people makes all the difference. Despite increasing costs across the industry, we are committed to ensuring that every member of our seller community has direct access to a dedicated team—your sales executive, account manager, and technical support specialists—who are available by phone, email, text, and in person. They aim to help you succeed, so please engage with them often.
We also wanted to clear up some misinformation we heard over the last few months. There’s been a lot of “fake news” circulating, and that’s on us–we own it. Moving forward, we will try to do an even better job of keeping you informed of the changes we are implementing and why.
As part of that commitment, we want to set the record straight by debunking some of the biggest myths we’ve heard recently.
Myth: Boats Group owns my data
Fact: You own your data—Boats Group does not
As an online marketplace, we adhere to strict privacy and data protection regulations to ensure compliance worldwide. If you list your boat with us, you can trust that your data is secure, your data remains yours, and you stay fully compliant.
Everything you list with us (boats, photos, descriptions) remains yours. We simply help market your listings to buyers. For more clarity about this topic, visit the Boats Group Service Agreement & Policies (North America | International).
We also protect and promote your brand. Unlike other online marketplaces, we never hide your branding or contact details. Your information is always clearly displayed, and that commitment isn’t changing.
Myth: Boats Group’s pricing and packages are inconsistent and don’t make sense
Fact: In the past, pricing was actually more complex and varied due to the thousands of product combinations we offered.
In 2023, we launched our Advantage program, bundling our best features into three tailored packages–Advantage, AdvantagePlus, and AdvantageSelect–to meet the needs of sellers of all sizes. Our international customers saw similar rollouts in 2024, with the Local Plus, Yachtworld Plus, Europe Select, and Yachtworld Select subscriptions.
We recognize pricing hasn’t always been clear, but it’s actually pretty simple: While there are nuances, in general, the higher the value of the boats you list, the more a subscription costs. Lower-priced boats cost less per listing, while higher-priced boats cost more per listing. Why? Because marketing a less expensive boat and connecting with a buyer is typically easier and less resource-intensive than marketing a high-value boat, which may only have a handful of potential buyers worldwide. Our pricing structure ensures you have access to the right channels, tools, and exposure to reach those buyers effectively.
We’ve also heard sellers say, “Pricing is so much higher than five years ago!” And you’re right–unfortunately, everything costs more today. That said, our service continues to be cost-effective compared to pay-per-click and pay-per-lead alternatives, including Google and Facebook.
For perspective, 15 years ago, a single ad in Boat Trader magazine cost $200 per week per boat. If you’ve been with us that long, you know today’s pricing is still a steep discount compared to the “good old days” – while delivering far more exposure, data, and value.
Myth: Boats Group is raising prices but hasn’t done anything to improve the product
Fact: While we send out monthly product updates, not everyone takes the time to read them.
Here are just some of the improvements we’ve made over the last two years:
- Created bundled packages in 2023, combining our best features into exposure-driven options to support sellers of all sizes (Advantage, AdvantagePlus, and AdvantageSelect in North America. YachtWorld Select, Europe Select, YachtWorld Plus, and Local Plus internationally).
- Relaunched YachtWorld & Boat Trader apps—the only marketplace apps in the industry.
- AI-powered tools to deliver more innovative, more personalized experiences, ensuring the right listings reach the right buyers.
- Removal of network ads, boosting engagement and increasing leads.
- Enhanced BoatWizard with a new inventory management system, real-time listing scores, market insights, and performance dashboards.
- Expanded ProSeller access, giving brokers & dealers the largest B2B boat marketplace.
- Better lead quality with verified phone numbers and categorized inquiries.
- Enhanced data insights, including market evaluation tools for dealers and brokers.
- A new OEM product that combines maximum exposure with deep market intelligence.
If you miss the monthly Product Updates email, you can always find all the updates here.
We’ll be hosting product webinars in the coming weeks, and your account team is always available to walk through your package features. Remember, most new product development results from direct customer feedback, so we want to hear from you.
Myth: Boats Group takes my leads and uses them to sell its own services
Fact: Your leads are yours. We don’t use, sell, or share your leads for our own marketing.
When a buyer inquires about a boat, that lead goes directly to you—the listing dealer, broker, or OEM. To give you even more insight, we show you what other boats the prospect has considered and additional details they’ve voluntarily shared with us. You can easily download this information into your CRM, so you can be sure you’re getting the industry’s best leads.
Some sellers say, ”You’re showing other boats to people looking at mine!”
True. That’s how online marketplaces work. Buyers tell us they spend months researching, and they expect a transparent shopping experience where they can explore their options. The number of brands, models, and sellers keeps growing, and buyers want to see everything available before making a decision.
Just like Amazon or any other marketplace you use daily, we help buyers compare choices. Anything less would be misleading to buyers and unfair to sellers. At the end of the day, the best boat (and seller) wins—just like at a boat show or any other shopping experience.
Myth: Boats Group is a “pay to play” model
Fact: Every boat listed on our sites gets seen by buyers, no matter the package you select.
Higher-tier packages come with enhanced features for greater visibility, and as a result, they cost more. Our pricing is simple and transparent–AdvantagePlus is priced 25% higher than Advantage, while AdvantageSelect is 50% higher than Advantage.
With our package structure and the product enhancements we’ve made over the last two years, it’s important to understand what’s included in your package to ensure it’s the right fit for your business. If you’re in a competitive market or have less unique inventory, upgrading to a higher-tier package could help you stand out.
Every seller is different, and the best package for you depends on your unique needs. We’re here to help you choose the one that maximizes your success.
If you are still confused, please ask your account team for an account review.