Mercury, Sheffield launch digital financing to accelerate boat purchases
- Brunswick’s Mercury says the integration meets growing customer demand for a fast, connected buying journey.
- For Brunswick and its Mercury dealers, tighter financing links reduce purchase friction.
- For Brunswick, they help sustain dealer operations and customer relationships in a competitive marine market.
Winston-Salem pact aims to speed boat purchases
Mercury Marine and Sheffield Financial are launching a retail financing partnership that aims to simplify purchases of outboard engines and complete boat packages for dealers and customers. The program, announced from Winston-Salem, links Sheffield-powered installment loans with a digital prequalification flow that moves shoppers from online research into in-dealership loan closing. Mercury Marine, the outboard and propulsion arm of Brunswick Corp., says the integration addresses growing customer demand for a fast, connected buying journey.
Mercury teams with Truist unit to extend dealer capabilities
Under the arrangement, Mercury dealers gain access to Sheffield’s online prequalification technology to embed across marketing channels, enabling customers to see financing options before they visit a showroom. Sheffield’s marine underwriting team provides seven-day-a-week credit decisions, which Sheffield and Mercury say reduces paperwork at closing and accelerates sales cycles. Mercury vice president Randy Caruana says combining Mercury products with Sheffield’s streamlined financing helps dealers convert shopper interest into sales more quickly.
Dealers and customers get a consistent, branded financing experience
Sheffield positions the program as a way to deliver a single, consistent financing experience from digital ads and online shopping through the dealership handoff. The offering explicitly covers Mercury outboards and Mercury-powered boat packages, and includes dealer-facing marketing tools intended to increase conversion rates. Sheffield senior vice president Susan Andersson says the pairing of Sheffield’s specialist financing and Mercury’s brand aims to make the process simple, fast and transparent for both customers and dealers.
Sheffield background and Truist backing
Sheffield Financial, a division of Truist Bank founded 33 years ago, specializes in installment financing for the marine, powersports, compact tractor, outdoor power equipment and trailer industries and has financed millions of customers. As a member FDIC unit of Truist, the program carries the bank’s operational and regulatory backing; Truist reports total assets of $548 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025.
Implications for Brunswick and the wider marine sector
The deal reflects a broader industry trend toward integrated digital retailing and captive-style financing to support higher conversion rates at dealerships. For Brunswick and its network of Mercury dealers, tighter financing links can reduce friction in the purchase path and help sustain dealer operations and customer relationships in a competitive recreational marine market.