As the world become increasingly interconnected through trades, technology, and talent exchange, many of the previously locally-sourced goods are becoming available from suppliers abroad. From twenty-dollar boat accessories purchased from Alibaba, to multi-million yachts exchanged between owners from different countries - many of us benefit from the trend of globalization, and the bliss of international trade.
The same case is seen in the boating industry. Whether it's personal or business buyers, enthusiasts are starting to look overseas for their boating needs. Emerging suppliers from China are competing for price and manufacturing speed, while renowned brands from Europe continue to improve their build and design for buyers around the world.
Why do people purchase their boats from abroad? As we observe, the answer lies mainly in three different categories,
Availability and Range of Choice
Due to the high capital requirements for starting and running a boat manufacturing business, many regions do not have existing local supplies for certain boat types. As an example, despite the high usage rate, many island countries could be net importers for boating products. In this case, residents tend to look overseas for the models they desire.
Cost
The different costs of materials and labour across countries lead to significant cost difference, for even boats of the similar design and functionalities.
For a boat or yacht to be available in the final buyer's hands, there usually are multiple parties involved throughout manufacturing, distributing and reselling. It is not unusual for a yacht to be sold at 200% of its building cost, while the local buyers really have no choice but to pay for the premium pricing, since most boat dealers price their products according to the local norm, in order to protect the profit margin.
Customization
Many these days seek to buy second-hand for immediate availability and lower prices. However, for those who are looking to add a personal touch to their boats, or seeking a specific design to allow the boat to serve for a dedicated purpose or occasion, custom boat making is still the most ideal choice to go, due to its maximized flexibility and originality. Yet, it is often difficult to find a boat builder near you which happens to offer custom boat building for the design that you are looking for.
The flexibility of customization brings together both the cost and the availability benefits from purchasing boats internationally, as it widens up the buyer's ability to personalize the boat according to their particular preference, but at an affordable price which is accessible to most people.
Conclusion
In summary, if you are having trouble to find the type of boat you're looking for from your local dealers, or if you are looking to customize your boat for specific designs, layouts or to be suitable for designated occasions on a budget, then purchasing the boat from suppliers abroad could be an ideal choice for you.
Of course, making the decision to buy a boat from abroad is just the first step towards owning the boat. In the coming articles, we'll talk about how to tell a reliable international boat supplier from an unreliable one, so those who are interested can leverage the information on hand to determine whether to trust a supplier, in cases when they can't view the products overseas themselves.