Weekly 5: Seattle dealer wins lawsuit over libelous emails
The BI Weekly 5 is a collection of tips, news and data affecting the boating industry this week. Be sure to look for the BI Weekly 5 every Tuesday on BoatingIndustry.com.
1. Seattle dealer wins lawsuit over libelous emails
A British Columbia man has been ordered to pay $40,000 in damages for sending emails alleging a boat dealer was a child molester during a dispute over repairs.
Robert Turpin bought a 64-foot yacht from Ocean Alexander Marine Yacht Sales in Seattle in 2011, then discovered some of the windows were defective. Unhappy with the offer from sales manager Ray Prokorym, Turpin then sent emails to Ocean Alexander employees and others in the industry falsely alleging that Prokorym was a convicted sex offender.
Turpin said he was in “a tailspin, psychologically speaking, of drug and alcohol abuse” when he sent the emails.
2. Mystery shopper study shows there’s work to do in boating, fishing
Boating and fishing retailers have plenty of room to improve the shopping experience, a new study from the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation shows.
According to the RBFF study, boating retail stores score an average 75 percent satisfaction rate for overall customer experience, and fishing retail stores score an average 61 percent satisfaction rate for overall customer experience. Both score lower than the average 77 percent for the general retail industry and 80 percent for retail specialty stores.
3. Florida’s boating recovery
Boating is getting some attention in Brevard County, Fla., where the once booming market is seeing an influx of investment from marine industry companies from accessory makers to a potential new yacht builder.
4. Are your marketing and sales efforts in sync?
If marketing and sales aren’t aligned, you won’t get the best return from either one. Here are 8 steps to make sure those efforts are working hand-in-hand.
5. 10 reasons to keep using Facebook for your business
Facebook’s organic reach may be weakening, but there are still good reasons to use it, the Young Entrepreneur Council says.
