Malibu Boats Expands Dealer Co-op Program to Include Boats Group Membership

Expanded eligibility reflects the growing role of digital marketplaces throughout the boat-buying journey.

MIAMI, Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Boats Group, the recreational marine industry's leading technology platform and online marketplaces, today announced that eligible Malibu Boats Group dealers can now receive co-op reimbursement for Boats Group membership and qualifying digital marketing solutions.

Officially launched at the Cobalt Dealer Meeting last week, the expanded program makes authorized dealers representing Malibu, Axis, Pathfinder, Cobia, Pursuit and Cobalt eligible for co-op reimbursement on Boats Group membership and qualifying digital marketing solutions, including New Boat Listings, Spotlight Listings, Homepage Hero advertising and Geo/Precision Targeting campaigns.

The expanded eligibility reflects a broader shift in how marine brands and dealers are approaching digital marketing. Consumers no longer shop one channel at a time. They move between marketplaces, dealer websites, search engines, social media and manufacturer content over weeks—and often months—as they discover brands, compare models and narrow their consideration set.

That makes visibility throughout the research process increasingly important. While traditional advertising and boat shows remain valuable parts of the marketing mix, much of the discovery, comparison and consideration that shapes a buyer's eventual purchase happens well before a customer contacts a dealer.

"This is about recognizing how consumers actually shop for boats today," said Alisdair Martin, Head of Industry Relations at Boats Group. "Marketplaces aren't simply lead-generation channels at the end of the funnel. They're where buyers discover brands, compare models, evaluate inventory and build their consideration set. Making marketplace participation eligible for co-op gives dealers another way to maintain that presence throughout the buying journey."

Participating dealers can receive 50% co-op reimbursement on eligible Boats Group membership and marketing solutions through Malibu's existing dealer co-op program. Eligible brands include Malibu, Axis, Pathfinder, Cobia, Pursuit and Cobalt.

For manufacturers, the evolution of co-op programs also creates an opportunity to take a more active role in how their brands appear throughout the digital shopping journey. Supporting dealer participation in the platforms where consumers are actively researching boats can help strengthen brand visibility while giving dealers additional resources to reach in-market buyers.

As more of the boat-buying journey moves online, Boats Group continues to work with manufacturers and dealers to connect brand marketing, inventory exposure and digital retailing around the way consumers actually research and shop.

For more information about the Malibu Co-Op program with Boats Group, visit https://www.boatsgroup.com/co-op/malibu/.

About Boats Group

Boats Group operates the world's leading online marketplaces for buying and selling boats, including Boat Trader, YachtWorld, and boats.com. With a global audience of millions of boat buyers, Boats Group provides data-driven marketing solutions, AI-driven tools, financing services, and industry insights to help OEMs, dealers, and brokers maximize their sales potential.

Press Contact:
Courtney Chalmers
Chief Brand & Communications Officer, Boats Group
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-877-354-4069

SOURCE Boats Group