RV Trader, the online marketplace for RV shoppers, hit new milestones in search traffic and dealer connections in October with more than 4.6 million site visits and nearly 387,000 emails, phone calls, map-to-dealership searches and website referrals generated directly from RV Trader listings.
RV Trader officials say the numbers represent a four percent increase in shopper traffic, equating to 40,000 additional buyers, and a 323 percent surge in consumer-to-dealer connections compared to October 2018, generating more sales opportunities for dealers than any competitive source.
The announcement by RV Trader of its record-setting performance coincides with the release of a new RV Trader report that includes insights for dealers seeking to optimize business in today’s RV landscape.
Key findings include:
Younger buyers – With Baby Boomers gradually aging out of the RV market, 53 percent of RV purchases are now 55 or younger. The reports say that 26 percent are millennials (ages 21-35) and 27 percent are from Generation X (ages 36-55). Both groups also earn more and have different purchase motivations than older RVers.
Differing renter demographics – RV renters are significantly younger than RV buyers, accounting for 63 percent of the rental audience compared to Gen Xers at 30 percent and baby boomers at seven percent. They are also more employed, have larger households and are driving the double-digit increases in rental revenue being reported by nearly two out of three dealers.
New renter/buyer segment – The survey identified a new industry trend: renters who convert to buyers. The report says 76 percent of renters reported they are likely to purchase their own RV within two years. Renter/buyers typically rent at least twice before deciding to buy and are more affluent than renters with 48 percent earning $100,000 annually.
The survey also documented extensive details about the path to purchase, including the predominate role played by online research, information that RV shoppers want to see in online listings and expected response times and communication preferences when interacting with dealers.
For the full report, click here.
