RVIA’s and RV Dealers Association’s marketing and consumer outreach team, Go RVing, released its March Real Trends Report. The team analyzed multiple sources to create the report including an automotive report, business media, a fashion forecast and research by a global public opinion/data company to forecast consumer behavior in the RV industry.
The report explored three areas:
- Product reuse and resale impact on consumer views of sustainability
- Building brand loyalty with used products
- Younger consumer’s preferences for subscription and delivery services
Understanding the effects of sustainability and reuse/ resale
Go RVing found resale products and services are gaining popularity due to continued supply chain shortages. For example, the U.S. used vehicle market hit a record last year with sales totaling 40.9 million units, according to Cox Automotive Report 2022
As a result, the report said, sustainability and transparency values are affecting consumer choices. According to a Forbes 2021 report, 58% of millennials agree that the resale market plays a big role in sustainability’s future. Of consumers surveyed, 55% said they would seek additional discounts because prices for goods and services are rising, said Mintel’s 2022 Consumers and Economic Outlook.
RV dealers wanting to attract younger customers to RVing could highlight sustainable RV features and address customer environmental concerns, GO RVing said.
Building brands with used products
Consumers want to make purchases with sustainability and the environment in mind; they are increasingly seeking second-hand goods and services Go RVing said. Fifty-four percent of new product buyers say resale goods will not affect their brand loyalty, according to McKinsey 2021
Brand image improves for the better when brands embrace the resale market, the report said. According to BCG 2020, 65% of the customers who buy used have never bought from the brand. Of consumers who purchased a brand new to them through secondhand channels in the past year, 48% would consider buying the same brand again, according to E-Marketer’s US Online Fashion Resale Forecast 2022
Go RVing continues to encourage new RV purchases. The group plans to emphasize retention messaging, highlighting diverse ways RV owners can get more from their RVs, and to minimize resale due to reduced usage, the report said.
Recognizing subscription services
A majority of RV owners aged 18-14 agree that subscription boxes are convenient and save time–73.6%, while a minority of RV owners aged 50-64 do—30%, according to YouGov 2022.
Younger RVers are starting to use subscription boxes and delivery services to make stocking up for camping trips easier, the report said. This trend will likely continue as technological and logistical difficulties are solved GO RVing said. Consumers will look for more solutions to make RVing easier.
This means younger owners could seek to purchase more RV maintenance bundles in the future the report said.
