PIEDMONT, S.C. (WSPA)- Owner of the Palmetto Boat Center Marty Walker says since March, their inventory has been selling quicker than he’s ever seen.
He says people are just trying to find something fun to do.
“The boat ramps opened back up, the sales have gone crazy. There’s not been stick and ball sports, Disney World, Disney Land, those activities,” Walker said. “You haven’t been able to go to the beach until recently.”
Walker says at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of boat manufacturing companies reduced their worforce, thinking they’d be hit hard financially.
“They started furloughing employees, laying people off, scaling back trying to manage a down swing, when in reality, the opposite was about to happen,” Walker said.
Although Walker says an increase in sales is a good thing, they’re also having a hard time keeping up with the demand.
Normally it takes no longer than a week to process a boat order, but now it could take from six to twelve weeks.
“It’s starting to create some situations where it’s a little harder,” Walker said. “There’s less for a customer to choose from, fewer options, less customization things that we can do unless they’re willing to wait to get what they want.”
As other events continue to be cancelled due to the pandemic, business won’t be slowing down any time soon
The uptick in sales could continue into the Fall as plans for college football and the school year are still being finalized.
