Aftermarket supplier exhibits filled with products await RV retailers at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Keller Marine & RV’s 65th annual Aftermarket Accessory Show opens at 2 p.m. ET today. An estimated 115 exhibitors have set up their displays and are actively awaiting attendees to pour through the doors this afternoon.
Keller Marine & RV President Mike Keller said the show focuses on working with people and empowering them to have the inventory they will need for the busy selling season in 2024.
“It is all about people,” Keller said, “bringing them together is important.”
Keller said the in-person aftermarket event presents an opportunity for building relationships, learning about new products and placing orders for delivery in 2024 and receiving massive discounts on aftermarket inventory.
Keller also said observing how suppliers pitch and sell their aftermarket offerings serves as an example of how retailers can talk with their RV consumers about those same products.
Before the show begins, Keller’s sales team is doing a walk-through of the show floor to learn about platinum vendors show offerings so they can personally discuss them with retailer attendees. The annual show’s platinum sponsors are Dometic, Pull Rite, AP Products, Southwire, Carefree of Colorado, Lippert, Blue Ox, Valterra, AirHead and Taylor. Exhibitor product demonstrations will be recorded so retailers can view the later online.
Keller said each trade show’s preparation begins at the end of the previous show.
“What I saw last year,” Keller said, “was a ton of people (RV consumers) running to the internet and abandoning the dealer.”
He stressed how Keller Marine & RV and its salesforce are actively working to combat this trend by training its retailer customers how to sell to customers in 2024. Keller Marine & RV is offering pricing that makes Keller customers competitive with online competition and offering expedited delivery to ensure retail stores have the parts/accessories on-hand so consumers do not have to wait to receive the products they are interested in.
Keller said this year’s show values unity in the industry, aligning the interests of distribution, retailers and suppliers with the ultimate goal of serving the consumer.
Outside of the Aim Wholesale show, Keller’s show is traditionally the first distributor show of the season. Aim Wholesale was recently acquired by Meyer distributing.
Keller Marine & RV’s show is specifically timed to occur as the marine aftermarket show season concludes and the RV aftermarket show season begins.
Keller said he anticipates around 300 retailer, dealer and repair shop decision-makers to attend. The in-person show will end at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Keller stressed how potential attendees can save huge amounts of money by placing stocking orders at the show and virtual event over the next two days. He stressed how retailers within driving distance of the Pennsylvania event will find coming to the show, even if for just a couple hours ,very rewarding and could dramatically impact their retail store’s profit margins in 2024.
The virtual aspect of Keller’s annual show will begin Nov. 27. The virtual session with feature an estimated 140 digital exhibitors.
The in-person aftermarket show will be open today from 2-9 p.m. ET. Today’s events include a dinner from 5-7 p.m. with cocktail hour starting at 8 p.m. A show floor Horse Racing activity runs from 8-10 p.m., where attendees are invited to bet on different horses named after show exhibitors.
A host of prizes such as Keller & Marine cooler packs, TVs, earbuds and more will be given out tonight during the horse racing event.
Keller said, “come out, meet people, win prizes and have fun.”
