Class B Market Share, Sales and Shipments

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Davydd

. If you like Bs, enjoy your status, your uniqueness and your freedom. At least you aren't a wanna B like so many Class Cers like to imagine themselves.

Yes, such odious behavior that degrades the exalted status of Class B owners must cease! Why hasn't there been an outcry for a law preventing Class C coach owners from driving under false pretenses?

[gregmchugh]

The elitists I have noticed in the RV world seem to reside at both ends of the size spectrum, the Class B end and the luxury motorhome end. The rest of the spectrum seems to have a dearth of elitists...

[booster]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

The elitists I have noticed in the RV world seem to reside at both ends of the size spectrum, the Class B end and the luxury motorhome end. The rest of the spectrum seems to have a dearth of elitists...

That probably would explain why some of the happiest folks in the campgrounds have a popup trailer pulled by a old rusty minivan. They just go about enjoying their camping and let all the snobs worry about who has the "best" equipment!

[Davydd]

Or pitch a tent which we did for some 40 odd years.

[wincrasher]

Originally Posted by Davydd

I still say the figures are not all that encouraging given the Baby boomers retiring in record numbers at over 3 million per year since 2011 at 65 or 2008 drawing social security. Class Bs are still under 7% of the motorhome market and just a way less than 1% blip over the entire RV market. In effect, the popularity is not really growing and the Class C market is still attracting 7X as many buyers. It remains a rather niche market beating out only truck campers. I don't know why anyone worries about it. If you like Bs, enjoy your status, your uniqueness and your freedom. At least you aren't a wanna B like so many Class Cers like to imagine themselves.

BTW, I just got back from a northern Minnesota trip to the Canadian border. I saw a couple of Bs on the road and none other than ours in the Friday night we stayed in the 300 site Grand Marais Municipal CG. There were more truck campers around mainly because they can trail bigger loads and can launch boats easier in the many northern Minnesota lakes since they can back into the boat ramp waters. Bs do seem to be more prolific in certain areas, mostly wilderness areas where campgrounds and roads are more restrictive. I see more in the western states than the eastern states. Of course, if you want to see lots of Bs in one place, plan on going to B rallies and socials where they congregate. We do three or four every year. Gives you an impression there are more.

In a couple of months there will be more members on Facebook Pursuing Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches prevalent in only three states than members of most all the Facebook Class B groups.

Too bad you didn't run into us last week around Duluth. We got alot of looks pulling into some parks as you don't see that many B vans together. A dozen in one place is alot!

[bobojay]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

Too bad you didn't run into us last week around Duluth. We got alot of looks pulling into some parks as you don't see that many B vans together. A dozen in one place is alot!

Ron, ask DavyDD, we've seen what you are talking about many times when we have our socials. Rows of class B's sitting in a campground kinda get different than normal looks and questions

[markopolo]

June 2016 Class B Sales stats have been posted on RV Business: SSI: Class B Sales Dip 5% in June; Gain 7.1% YTD | RV Business

Sales were down 5% compared to last June.

Year-over-year Class B motorhome retail registrations dipped 5% in June, but showed a 7.1% gain year-to-date, according to the latest report from Statistical Surveys Inc. (SSI).

Here's the Class B market share breakdown:

April 2016
Winnebago Industries Inc. 36.3% market share.
Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. 29.4% market share.
Thor Industries Inc. 18.6% market share.
Pleasure-Way 11.2%

May 2016
Winnebago Industries Inc. 37.1% market share.
Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. 29.1% market share.
Thor Industries Inc. 18.5% market share.
Pleasure-Way 10.6%

June 2016
Winnebago Industries Inc. 35.4% market share.
Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. 28.6% market share.
Thor Industries Inc. 19.2% market share.
Pleasure-Way 11.4%

[mlts22]

I wonder if part of the reason sales are down is that more players are entering the "B" market. Hymer especially, as well as Forest River (with the Coachmen Galleria), as well as some regional makes (such as the all-electric Sprinter upfit sold at mhsrv near Fort Worth.)

[BBQ]

.

7.1% gain year-to-date
That's the most important data.


YoY changes could be due to many non-sales demand-related reasons.
eg. rain in June, or
early Spring sales. (April YoY increase of 22.9%).

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by mlts22

I wonder if part of the reason sales are down is that more players are entering the "B" market. Hymer especially, as well as Forest River (with the Coachmen Galleria), as well as some regional makes (such as the all-electric Sprinter upfit sold at mhsrv near Fort Worth.)

You are not making sense. More players would mean more sales not less. The figures are for the whole market and not those four mentioned who have over a 10% share of the market. Besides Hymer is Roadtrek and no Hymer branded B has been sold yet. There is about another 4% unreported here and those companies simply have sold few Bs and there are none that will be threatening the top 4 entrenched mentioned in sales at least to the point of changing them much. The active market much discussed here is mostly in that 4%.

A downturn from a year ago is a bit alarming. B sales could be the "canary in the cage" bellwether. I still think with 8-10,000 Baby Boomers retiring every day and little real growth in comparison is not a positive sign. Growth is nothing like it was before the great recession and before Baby Boomers started retiring.

It could be changing demographic focus of what people seek to do and how they travel. Will internal combustion engine forsaking Millennials not adapt to RVing? It could be discouragement with little growth in campsites and more people seeking them. I wonder how many people have given up RVing when discovering it is next to impossible to get into a Florida state park campground in the winter unless you plan a year ahead. Conversely, Minnesota in the summer.

Nothing is forever. It could be people now prefer to walk around with their heads down using Pokemon Go on cell phones. Outside of my RV friends who live mostly all over the country, the friends I've known locally for years, especially the retired my age, not a one owns an RV. We are all anomalies here in this forum.

[bobojay]

Originally Posted by Davydd

You are not making sense. More players would mean more sales not less. The figures are for the whole market and not those four mentioned who have over a 10% share of the market. Besides Hymer is Roadtrek and no Hymer branded B has been sold yet. There is about another 4% unreported here and those companies simply have sold few Bs and there are none that will be threatening the top 4 entrenched mentioned in sales at least to the point of changing them much. The active market much discussed here is mostly in that 4%.

A downturn from a year ago is a bit alarming. B sales could be the "canary in the cage" bellwether. I still think with 8-10,000 Baby Boomers retiring every day and little real growth in comparison is not a positive sign. Growth is nothing like it was before the great recession and before Baby Boomers started retiring.

It could be changing demographic focus of what people seek to do and how they travel. Will internal combustion engine forsaking Millennials not adapt to RVing? It could be discouragement with little growth in campsites and more people seeking them. I wonder how many people have given up RVing when discovering it is next to impossible to get into a Florida state park campground in the winter unless you plan a year ahead. Conversely, Minnesota in the summer.

Nothing is forever. It could be people now prefer to walk around with their heads down using Pokemon Go on cell phones. Outside of my RV friends who live mostly all over the country, the friends I've known locally for years, especially the retired my age, not a one owns an RV. We are all anomalies here in this forum.

Good points all....

[BBQ]

.

My casual observation in various RV forums
tells me that Roadtrek had sold quite a few high-end eTreks (+$175k), and many RV with 800A lithium modules.

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by BBQ

.

My casual observation in various RV forums
tells me that Roadtrek had sold quite a few high-end eTreks (+$175k), and many RV with 800A lithium modules.

I have no idea if that is true, but the numbers say Roadtrek is steadily losing market share.

You do understand that new or unique is going to get more curiosity and draw people out to discuss. The Roadtrek eTreks would fall into that category. In this forum there is a heavy amount of eTrek discussion but not a lot of input from eTrek owners and a lot of questions still unanswered about how they work or how well they work.

[wincrasher]

Originally Posted by BBQ

.

My casual observation in various RV forums
tells me that Roadtrek had sold quite a few high-end eTreks (+$175k), and many RV with 800A lithium modules.

LOL.

Roadtrek is continuing their slow share erosion. It would not be particularly surprising if their biggest sellers are the Chevy models (170/190/210) or the Zions. The only time I hear about the high dollar etreks is when people are posting their problems.

My dealer is now selling the Midwest (Chinook) and Gallerias (Coachmen). They are a multi-brand dealer. The Midwest's are sitting and not moving. Don't know why - maybe people are leary of them as they are unknown track record. The Winnebagos move fast. The Pleasureways also sell, but more slowly. He doesn't carry Roadtrek.

I can only assume my dealer is carrying Midwest because they had incentive to sell them - special discounts or they have greater margins. Probably carrying the Galleria because its a new Forest River introduction and they carry a lot of Forest River products.

Despite the demographic tailwinds that Davydd pointed out, the economy plays a big part. With times good and especially cheap gas, people go for the bigger is better. When it tightens up, then the stories of "woe is me" are all over the forums and then you have the move to B's. It's funny how people make a value proposition out of a more expensive RV that gets better MPG, but they seem to. I'm not going to act shocked if when oil prices recover, you have a big upswing in the B numbers. Not that these numbers are not healthy - I'd say that they are, especially for the manufacturers that are seeing increased share.

[BBQ]

.

LOL you guys are too simplistic; you are reading the words as if it means eTrak is taking over the market.

Everything is relative; when I said RT sold a few eTraks, it was not in comparison to Winnebago, or even anyone in particular. THis is as if DDD said ARV sold a quite a few units. Nobody would think ARV is making a dent in the market. It simply means there is a demand for their products.

[BBQ]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

LOL.

Roadtrek is continuing their slow share erosion. It would not be particularly surprising if their biggest sellers are the Chevy models (170/190/210) or the Zions. The only time I hear about the high dollar etreks is when people are posting their problems.
::

On various forums, people talk about their new RT (2016).

My observation is 5 new Sprinters to 3 new ProMaster to 1 new Chevy.


Of course this is not a scientific statistics. This is merely a casual observation. Please do not take it as a godsend.

[markopolo]

July 2016 Class B Shipment stats have been published on RVIA's site: The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association: RVIA Main Site Home

Shipments were up a staggering 54.4% compared to last July!

July 2016 Class B Shipments.JPG

Shipments are up 20.5% YTD

Great year for Class B builders!

[wincrasher]

Wow. It would be interesting to see how that breaks down.

Obviously, WGO has had a big increase in Travato sales. I had heard they were outselling Era's 4 to 1.

But you've had new players since last summer - Coachmen Galleria and Midwest's Weekender. This 20% increase is essentially 400 extra vans.

[B Eventually]

I wonder where they are selling. I see a ton of Sprinter-based Bs on the roads in the Pacific NW.

[gregmchugh]

Somebody will be eating crow if those extra shipments were Roadtreks from the Jim H. super deal sellathon ...