Whitsunday Discount Marine is an Australian marine retailer operating across both wholesale (B2B) and direct-to-consumer (B2C) channels.
Founded by Bruce Goldman, the business supplies a wide range of specialised products—from stainless steel fittings and marine plumbing to catamaran trampolines and bulk equipment.
In addition to its ecommerce store, the company operates a physical warehouse where customers can purchase products directly, creating a hybrid model that blends online and in-person sales.
To support this complexity, Whitsunday Discount Marine relies on Neto by Maropost to manage ecommerce, inventory, and point-of-sale operations from a single platform.
The challenge: supporting a hybrid B2B & B2C operation
Selling marine products requires precision. Customers often need specific parts that must integrate seamlessly with existing equipment.
“In the marine industry, customers are very specific. They’re looking for something to go with something else. If you sell the wrong part, it won’t work,” says Bruce Goldman, Owner of Whitsunday Discount Marine.
The business needed a solution that could:
- Handle complex product structures and variations
- Support both B2B and B2C sales workflows
- Manage inventory across online and warehouse environments
- Enable efficient, scalable operations
- Ecommerce storefront and online sales
- B2B wholesale customer management
- Inventory and warehouse operations
- POS for in-person transactions
- Reporting and profitability tracking
“I sell to marinas, chandlery shops, charter companies, and direct customers. You need a system that can handle all of that,” Bruce explains.
Why Neto by Maropost
After evaluating platforms such as Shopify and Magento, Bruce selected Neto for its flexibility and ability to manage complex requirements.
“I looked at Shopify and Magento, but what made me choose Neto was that it could handle complex products. You can build parent products, variations, and entire product structures — and it’s easy to manage,” Bruce says.
“I liked that I could tailor it to suit my business, rather than being locked into something off the shelf,” he adds.
Local expertise also played a role in the decision:
“Maropost has an Australian-based team, with many of them in Queensland, and they were very helpful. If they didn’t know something, they pointed me in the right direction,” Bruce explains.
The solution: one platform for ecommerce, inventory, and POS
With Neto by Maropost, Whitsunday Discount Marine runs its entire operation through a single system:
- Ecommerce storefront and online sales
- B2B wholesale customer management
- Inventory and warehouse operations
- POS for in-person transactions
- Reporting and profitability tracking
This unified approach enables seamless coordination between online and offline channels.
Key Benefits
1. Managing complex product catalogues
Neto enables the business to manage detailed and technical product configurations.
“You might have a product like a boat fender with 20 variations depending on size and use. You can build that whole structure and manage it easily,” Bruce says.
This allows for:
- Structured product hierarchies
- Accurate product selection
- Reduced ordering errors
2. Kitting: delivering complete marine solutions
The business uses kitting to bundle related components into ready-to-sell systems.
“I sell kits like bilge pump systems — that includes the pump, hose, clamps, and fittings. Neto lets me bundle it all together and price it correctly,” Bruce explains.
“When the order comes through, it prints every item on the delivery docket so staff can tick them off. It reduces mistakes,” he adds.
3. Warehouse efficiency with barcode labelling
Inventory is managed through barcode-driven workflows.
“Every product in my warehouse has a label on the shelf, and larger products have barcodes and descriptions printed on them. I generate all of that from Neto,” Bruce says.
This supports:
- Faster picking and packing
- Accurate stock control
- Efficient warehouse organisation
4. Integrated POS for in-person sales
The warehouse also serves as a retail touchpoint, with Neto’s POS system supporting daily transactions.
“I love the POS because it’s simple. I use it every day in the warehouse, and it just works,” Bruce says.
“If a customer walks in and says they have an account, you just pull them up and everything is there — it goes straight into the system,” he adds.
The system is also resilient in regional conditions:
“Up here, the internet can drop out, so I keep the POS separate from the EFTPOS terminal. That way I can still process transactions,” Bruce explains.
5. Efficient workflows & data control
Neto by Maropost integrates with external tools to streamline operations.
“I export data into Excel, use macros or AI, and upload it back. You can update large parts of your system in 20–30 minutes,” Bruce says.
6. Clear profitability insights
Built-in reporting provides visibility into financial performance.
“The profit report is very good. I download it every month and get a really accurate picture of profitability,” Bruce says.
The results: a scalable, efficient retail operation
With Neto by Maropost at the core of its operations, Whitsunday Discount Marine has achieved:
- Consistent ~10% annual growth
- Efficient management of a large product catalogue
- Strong balance between B2B and B2C sales
- High levels of customer satisfaction
“My business is growing about 10% per annum, and I haven’t had a year where I’ve gone backwards,” Bruce says.
“I’ve maintained a 100% positive rating on eBay and Google. That comes down to getting the right products to customers and providing good service,” he adds.
Looking ahead
The business continues to focus on sustainable growth and expanding its product offering.
“I’m always looking to grow the product range — adding new lines and improving what we offer,” Bruce says.
“I’m happy growing at around 10% a year. It’s manageable, and it’s sustainable,” he adds.
Why Neto by Maropost
For Whitsunday Discount Marine, Neto is more than an ecommerce platform — it’s the system that underpins the entire business.
“It’s like an iPhone… you get used to it, and it just works,” Bruce concludes.
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