Linkup Studio has designed and developed the YachtWay platform entirely from scratch, delivering on our initial 8-month timeline. After the launch, the app attracted over 100 clients – shipyards, dealers, and customers. Moreover, the daily website traffic has surged past 1,500 visitors, marking a commendable milestone for this sector. Our team's prowess was further acknowledged with the Red Dot design award in "Brand & Communication Design 2023."

The founder actively showcases the platform to US vessel manufacturers and dealers for potential collaboration at multiple board shows. Intriguingly, competitors have tabled him offers of up to $1 million just for the design concept, but he convincingly rejected them. Linkup Studio team continually refines and expands the platform, introducing innovative product features when needed.

The founder of YachtWay had over a decade of experience in the US yacht-selling industry, having worked in various roles, such as the CEO of a dealership specializing in performance yachts and a broker.

He was intimately familiar with the challenges faced by all involved in the yacht-selling process, from shipyards and dealers to customers. For instance, shipyards were often burdened with fees exceeding $10,000 on existing platforms just to showcase and sell their models. These platforms, however, were outdated and cumbersome to use. And there were no alternatives.

‍For yacht dealers and brokers, listing a single vessel on these old platforms could take up to 4 hours. So, if a broker had 20 yachts on offer, they would spend 2 full work weeks uploading their listings to these marketplaces. Customers looking to purchase a yacht also had limited options. The primary competing platform has been unchanged since 1997 and was plagued with intrusive ads and an outdated user interface. It was clearly ill-suited for potential buyers considering vessels with six-figure price tags.

Our journey in building YachtWay was marked by a series of objectives, leading to innovative solutions

Strategizing User-Centric Business Analysis. Starting with a detailed competitor analysis for YachtWay, our business analyst delved into provided foundational information such as diagrams, documents, and sitemaps. Our collaboration with the client outlined the platform's design, structure, and vision. We identified specific user roles, crafted functional specifications, and developed a strategic plan to ensure the platform's rich features remained cohesive.
Crafting an Inclusive Design Experience. Drawing from the insight that many male yacht purchasers consulted with their female partners, we molded the platform's design to cater to a broader audience. The design underwent 3 iterative refinements, culminating in a platform that exudes the sleekness and elegance of premium brands.
Laying a Strong Technical Foundation. The technical architect meticulously detailed functional requirements, such as registration methods and search filter functionalities. We also addressed non-functional requirements like security, scalability, and performance. Through this foundation, we built a feature-rich and technically robust platform.
Revolutionizing User Features for Enhanced Usability. YachtWay's platform was equipped with tailored features for each user type, streamlining processes such as yacht listing and subscription tiering. We introduced enhanced filter functionalities for precision searches, coupled with visual aids, ensuring the platform's usability was a cut above its competitors.
Leveraging Analytics for Business Strategy. We integrated a comprehensive analytics system, making use of both the Google Analytics API and data from YachtWay. This gave users insights into yacht popularity, viewer demographics, and overall platform engagement, empowering them to effectively tailor their marketing and business strategies.
‍Introducing Seamless Communication and Design Consistency. Our integrated chat feature allows direct and efficient communication between users, automatically pinning specific yachts to the chat top, thus simplifying the buying process. Further, we standardized the platform's aesthetics with a UI kit, giving it a distinctive, luxurious appearance that underscores its premium market positioning.

Seeing YachtWay functioning is a feeling beyond words. I stand in front of the Linkup Studio team and thank them for their incredible work. They’re all superstars to build such a complicated platform in such a short time!

CEO & Founder at YachtWay