Recreational Vehicle Dealers Industry Profile

More than 3,000 RV dealers operate in the US with combined annual revenue of about $15 billion. Major companies include FreedomRoads, General RV Center, and Lazy Days' RV Center. The industry is fragmented: the top 50 dealers account for about a third of industry revenue.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by consumer income and US population demographics. The profitability of individual companies depends on effective marketing and inventory management. Large dealerships have advantages in breadth of product line, repair center capability, and marketing efficiencies. Small dealers compete by providing superior customer service. The industry is capital-intensive: average annual revenue per employee is about $460,000.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Major products include new motor homes (about 35 percent of sales), new travel trailers (30 percent), and used RVs (25 percent). Other dealership services include repair and maintenance, sales of RV parts, and extended warranty service contracts. Some dealers, especially in northern climates, also sell snowmobiles or other products during the winter.

Most dealers have non-exclusive sales contracts with multiple RV manufacturers, although some carry just one brand. Individual dealerships can carry more than 20 different RV brands. Dealers sell a wide variety of products, from small camper trailers that are towed, to self-contained motor homes. Dealerships can be large, approaching 125 acres to house vehicle inventory and multiple service bays.

RVs are delivered by private parties who are paid to drive the RV from the manufacturer to the dealer and ...