The majority of marine distributors have seen an increase in the total sales volume of marine accessories this year, and most expect that trend to continue in 2011, according to the National Marine Distributors Association's recent state-of-the-industry survey.
Fifty-five percent of those who responded said the total sales volume of marine accessories was up this year, compared with 2009, and only 18 percent said it was down.
Eighty-two percent expect the total sales volume to go up in 2011, compared with this year. Because of those sales projections, 36 percent said they except to maintain larger inventories next year than they currently have; 55 percent expect that inventory levels will remain the same.
Fifty percent said the number of dealers they service in 2010 is the same as last year, 27 percent reported a decrease and 23 percent were up from 2009.
Respondents were split on the average size of dealer orders this year, compared with last year - 36 percent are seeing increases, 32 percent are seeing a decrease and 32 percent say the average order size is the same as it was in 2009.
Forty-one percent of distributors said the number of dealers who either declared bankruptcy or closed this year, compared with 2009, was down or the same. Only 18 percent said that number had increased.
