What it is
Instead of typing each boat into every site by hand, the dealer keeps one inventory record and a feed sends the listing, photos and price to each destination. When a boat sells or the price changes, the feeds update.
How it works at a boat dealership
A feed is a file or connection in a format each destination accepts. Marketplaces usually ask for a set of required fields such as make, model, year, length, price and photos. Some destinations only accept a one-way push from the dealer.
The dealer's own website is the first destination, and the marketplaces follow.
What dealers watch
Dealers watch whether a sold boat is removed quickly, whether photos and prices match across sites, and which sites produce leads worth their fee.
Why it matters
Buyers search across many sites before they call a dealer. If the dealer's boats are missing, out of date or wrong on those sites, the leads go elsewhere. Syndication makes sure a single correction, such as a sold boat or a new price, reaches every listing without retyping. It also gives the dealer one record to trust when comparing where leads come from.
Common mistakes
Leaving sold boats live, running different prices on different sites, and paying for a listing channel without measuring the leads it produces.