RVIA’s Model Year Task Force met last week to re-reevaluate its recommended best practices, altering model year changeover to take place between July 1 and Aug. 31 annually.
The task force reaffirmed the best practice endorsement, RVIA said.
“The RV industry has pulled together to help improve the customer experience on many fronts, and this reaffirmation of the best practices recommendation model year changeover period greatly assists consumers in distinguishing between model years,” said Coley Brady, Model Year Task Force Chair and president of Alliance RV. “This is a win for all RV industry businesses, too, as it allows RV dealerships to more efficiently manage their inventory and communicate model year information to shoppers. A consistent model year enables component part suppliers to more efficiently produce and stock the changing part needs of manufacturers, and finance institutions can better establish RV valuations which further reduces potential confusion at time of purchase.”
RVDA President Phil Ingrassia cited “overwhelming support” from dealers when the best practice was announced in 2020 in saying the RV dealer body stood behind the endorsement.
“RVDA member surveys have consistently shown an overwhelming preference for a consistent approach to model year introduction,” Ingrassia said, “to enhance the RV buying experience for consumers and inventory management for dealers.”
The initial best practice rollout was targeted for 2021 to 2023, with annual task force evaluations after the 2023 model year.
Also during 2020, RVIA’s board instituted that all RVIA members would be required to have a label on newly manufactured RVs stating a unit’s overall length. The requirement took effect Jan. 1, 2021.
RVIA President Craig Kirby said, “These measures on recommended model year best practice, and the inclusion of a clearly labeled length measurement on every unit, will alleviate potential sources of customer confusion, and vastly improve the consumer’s purchase experience.”
