West Marine Leads in Marine Electronics Superstore Market

In the top tier of the marine electronics superstore market, West Marine is one of the few companies that is known nationwide not only for its wide range of marine electronics, but also for its boating supplies and small craft. Another nationwide chain is MarineMax. That company, better known as a yacht broker, also has a wide variety of marine electronics and boating supply products.

After West Marine and MarineMax the retail electronics market breaks down quickly into a very localized network of distributors, independent retail outlets, and boating supply stores. Beyond that, you will run into an ever-increasing number of online marine electronics retailers.

Online retailers often offer just as many or more marine electronics products than even the big superstores. Ironically, though, many of the online marine electronics outfits are just extensions of small independent’s brick and mortar operations. For example, the GPS Store, a member of the National Marine Electronics Association, has an extensive marine electronics line at its online store as well as its one-and-only brick and mortar store.

Another well-known online marine electronics superstore is Marine Wholesalers. That company based out of Florida, also a member of the National Marine Electronics Association, is considered one of the leading online retailers of marine electronics. The company has over 500 marine electronics products on its web site from manufacturers such as Furuno, Garmin, NorthStar, Raymarine, Simrad, C-MAP, Standard Horizon, Icom America and ACR Electronics.

New to the online marine electronics superstore market is BoaterSupply.com. That company, which is affiliated with Acom, a web design and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) company, is going after a sizable share of the retail marine electronics market using advanced Internet-based advertising technologies.

Regardless of whether you’re a small independent, online retailer or mainstay marine electronics superstore, having you as a distribution or retail outlet is important for the major marine electronics manufacturers. All the major manufacturers have extensive distribution and retail networks. In fact, these networks are often what make the company.

FLIR System’s recent acquisition of Raymarine was to a large extent influenced by the fact that Raymarine has a network of over 1000 retail outlets. With the acquisition, FLIR obtained Raymarine’s retail network as a quick way to market its thermal imaging devices to the consumer marine electronics market.

And that is why, now, just shortly after the acquisition, you’ll see FLIR’s First Mate Handheld Thermal Imagers featured at a number of independent marine electronics stores; including West Marine’s marine electronics superstores

In total, West Marine and MarineMax, two publicly traded companies, are now estimated to have about 390 retail outlet stores throughout the United States. Of those, West Marine has the decided majority at 335.

However, the two companies are still not alone. Even with considerable consolidation as a result of the great recession, there are still hundreds if not thousands of marine electronics companies that compete with the two superchains.

The yellow pages as well as the National Marine Electronics Association can attest to that fact. The Association’s Marine Electronics Journal lists hundreds of independent marine electronics stores by zip code throughout the United States. In the Journal’s directory, you’ll find a treasure trove of independent marine electronics companies that not only offer every marine electronics device imaginable, but also provide the ability to customize, design and service all makes and models.