RV shows are an extremely valuable opportunity for the new RV buyer. Under one roof you can inspect multiple models and visit with your local dealers in a heated, well lit environment. Dealers and manufacturers spend a lot of money to partake in these events and it goes without saying that they want a solid return on this investment. The way they track these returns is twofold: leads from prospective buyers (your contact info, usually procured when you fill out a form at the show) and sales during the event. Buyers usually fill out a form because they want to be contacted or because the dealer is offering some sort of prize during the event and a drawing will be held. Before entering a drawing ask yourself if the prize is worth the possible aggravation from repeated calls and mailings after the fact, especially if the manufacturer or dealer is not on your list of potential buys.
Sales are even more valuable to the exhibitors and for this reason many offer very good deals during shows. Sounds great, right? It can be –if you know your RVs. Let’s say you see a shiny new motorhome at your local show that you fall in love with and it’s got a sticker in the window showing an MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of $100,000.00. Let’s say this is in your budget and you’re starting to get visions of yourself commandeering this beauty on the trip of a lifetime through the Rockies. Even better, the dealer tells you they are offering a “Show Only” price of $80,000.00. Wow! You’re not spending money now, you’re saving it! And $20,000.00 is a serious chunk of change. The dealer tells you that this price ends when the show ends, or even worse, when this specific unit sells. He also warns you that another party is very interested in this unit and may be back this afternoon to put a down payment on it. What do you do? It seems like a really good deal. You hate to let it go. You know you’ll kick yourself if you miss a chance to save $20,000.00 on this RV that you are starting to love more the longer you look at it. Well, hold on a minute. What if I told you that no one in the history of RV’s ever paid full MSRP? What if I told you that this $80,000.00 “Show Priced” RV routinely sells for $76,000.00, show or no show, every day of the year? Furthermore, what if I told you that this manufacturer filed for bankruptcy last year and is hanging on by a thread? What if I told you that 3 out of 5 existing owners of this unit would not recommend buying one?
All of a sudden, you’re not saving $20,000.00, you’re overpaying $4,000.00 and possibly buying a lot of headaches and aggravation. Yikes. Think it can’t happen? It happens to many people at every RV show across North America. It’s a combination of marketing savvy on the exhibitors’ side and eagerness and lack of knowledge on the buyer’s side. The average buyer at an RV Show doesn’t know much about the unit they fall in love with. It’s new, it’s shiny, the dealer is a really nice guy and seems trustworthy –and it says $20,000.00 off. Unfortunately this buyer only has two numbers to compare –both supplied by the people wanting to sell them a very expensive piece of equipment: MSRP and Sale Price. Also, they only have the dealer to tell them about the unit’s quality. What do you think they are going to hear?
Now what happens to this scenario if we supply this prospective buyer with some unbiased third party information? What if they have a good idea what a fair price is for this unit? What if they had an idea how much the dealer paid for this unit? What if they knew how this unit was manufactured, and where? What if they knew how existing owners felt about the unit?
Can you see the position of power starting to swing here? Now the dealer knows he’s talking to someone that knows their stuff –and his. He’s being asked very specific questions and he’s gone from playing offense to playing defense. This doesn’t mean you’re being confrontational or rude. You’re simply asking the right questions to make an informed decision. If the salesman doesn’t have anything to hide he will welcome your questions. Instinct will tell him that he is dealing with someone who has done their homework on his product and that could mean he is very close to a sale. The playing field has been leveled and we are now approaching the best scenario possible: the win-win. You win if your questions are answered to your satisfaction and you request and receive a better than advertised price of $76,000 (or less) and he wins with a sale –which is the only reason he is there anyway.
So what’s the best way to get to the win-win? That’s where we come in. RVReviews.net has been arming buyers with unbiased RV information for almost ten years now. We have helped thousands of buyers save money and get the best unit for them. We receive no kickbacks or financial consideration of any kind from dealers or manufacturers –and never have. Our only customer is you, the consumer.
Our motto remains the same: Let us help you save thousands on your RV, and take the first trip on us!
How’s that for a win-win?