Class B Market Share, Sales and Shipments

[markopolo]

October 2013 Class B shipments have been published on RVIA's site. http://www.rvia.org/?esid=shipments
4.9% increase compared to last October.



Up 2.8% year-to-date

Shipments to dealers are up.
Sales are up.

It's looking like a good year for everyone in the business.

[Mike]

I would expect class B market share may be hitting an overall improvement curve as Winnebago starts to bring their new facility online to produce their class B products. Assuming they'll probably lead the pack in the ability to almost mass produce, and assuming their products become popular. I also think that, even with all the shortcomings we've noted when comparing them to existing "comparable" products built on the existing German chassis, the most appealing feature might still be a brand new, fairly well equipped class B RV, at a really affordable price. The MSRP of the Travato is $50K less than some of the existing MB based models. More in some cases. That has to count for something, to some of the potential buyers. I would give Winnie about 2 model years to shake out any flaws, and to figure out what isn't working, and then to refit them with more generally appealing options, like the OD-50 water heater mlts22 suggested, maybe finding a way to make the rear bed work a little better like Davydd mentioned, and see how their sales look after that. I might even have to have a serious look at one.

[Davydd]

Compared to Class A and Class C growth I would say the Class B is essentially stagnant and questionable whether they are keeping abreast with the economy which is deemed better this year on employment, housing, stock market and even this year's holiday expectations.

[bobojay]

Originally Posted by Davydd

Compared to Class A and Class C growth I would say the Class B is essentially stagnant and questionable whether they are keeping abreast with the economy which is deemed better this year on employment, housing, stock market and even this year's holiday expectations.

I agree...class C is the hot ticket for growth right now

[markopolo]

Class C shipments to dealers up 47.4% through October and sales to consumers up 35.6% through September. What a year.

Shares in Winnebago WGO - NYSE have done extremely well over the last year also according to a chart I just looked at on Yahoo.

Nov 30, 2012 $14.22
Nov 29, 2013 $30.96

up 117.72%

I don't own any.

[mlts22]

I am curious that within the class C market, how well the small "C"s are doing. Ones like Great West/EEE models as well as the PW Pursuit, not to mention Winnebago's Trend once it hits the dealer showrooms. (The Trend is going to make or break Winnebago because it bucks the usual US "C" style of having slideouts, and a lot of RV-ers expect/demand those.)

[Davydd]

Great West is not Triple E. Are you trying t say Leisure Travel Vans? Great West dropped their only small C and now are only converting a Sprinter B.

Leisure Travel Vans has the Serenity and Unity small C models. Both are excellent units.

[markopolo]

October 2013 Class B Sales stats have been posted on RV Business: http://www.rvbusiness.com/2013/12/ssi-c ... e-for-oct/

It's a disappointing 10.4% decline in sales for October but still a healthy 15% increase in sales for the first 10 months of this year.

Through October, Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. was No. 1 in Class B sales, owning a 38.6% market share, followed by Thor Industries Inc. with a 22% share. Winnebago Industries Inc. (17.6%) edged out Pleasure-Way Industries Ltd. (17.5%) for the No. 3 spot.

August 2013 breakdown:
Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. 37.6% market share.
Thor Industries Inc. 22.6% market share.
Pleasure-Way Industries Ltd. 18.7% market share.
Winnebago Industries Inc. 17.4% market share.

September 2013 breakdown:
Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. 37.6% market share.
Thor Industries Inc. 22.2% market share.
Pleasure-Way Industries Ltd. 18.1% market share.
Winnebago Industries Inc. 17.9% market share.

October 2013 breakdown:
Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. 38.6% market share.
Thor Industries Inc. 22% market share.
Winnebago Industries Inc. 17.6% market share.
Pleasure-Way Industries Ltd. 17.5% market share.

Roadtrek has increased their lead and Winnebago has moved into the number 3 spot. It's all fairly stable though.

[booster]

With all the very nice options in class b's that are out there, it is still surprising to me that market share is continuing to grow for Roadtrek, Winnebago, and Thor. Maybe it is because of an influx of "new" class b customers who are more comfortable with the tried and true brands?

[Davydd]

Tried and true? I think it is more marketing and dealership networks and the numbers are still funny when they add up to 96% which is statistically in reporting errors are all or 100%, which leads me to believe they are only reporting those four brands and the results are comparative between those four. I just find it hard to believe Advanced RV, Great West Vans, Leisure Travel Vans, Sportsmobile and others are only 4% of the market. Great West Vans for starters alone can't make Bs fast enough to keep on dealer lots and are capable of making way more than that 4%.

I don't see any influx of "new" class B customers. The percentage of Bs to all RVs dropped from .00733 in 2012 to .00669 in 2013 and are less than 5% of the motorhome market. They lost market share. Will the new ProMaster and Transit Bs make any difference? I really doubt it. They are replacing even less expensive American type Chevys and Fords in the overall scheme of things. The resurgence in domestic energy and lower fuel prices will further blunt decisions toward Bs. If fuel prices go back up or economy goes down all RV types will suffer again including Bs as they did before. In effect it is a boutique market with little indication that it is growing in any popularity.

[markopolo]

November 2013 Class B shipments have been published on RVIA's site. http://www.rvia.org/?esid=shipments
9.3% increase compared to last November.



Up 3.4% year-to-date.

Hard not to notice Class C shipments up 49.2%

[Mike]

Seems like more folks are saying bigger is better (and damn the gas mileage )?
Or, the mythical B+/small C is taking market share as the slightly larger and roomier class B, for traveling parties of 3 or more?
It could be that more rental places are buying the class C size for family sized vacation rentals.
There are more than a few of what appear to be national rental companies out there now, and we see mostly 24-30 foot models emblazoned with El Monte, 1-800-Rent RV, CanaDream, or whatever, flying down the freeways with 3 or more people in them.

[mlts22]

I wonder what size "C" is selling so well? It also shows that "A"s are a pretty solid market.

[bobojay]

Originally Posted by mlts22

I wonder what size "C" is selling so well? It also shows that "A"s are a pretty solid market.

I'll bet it's the Sprinter sized C's. I know Winnebago can't make enough of it's 24G and V models, what some would call B+'s. I don't know about their over the cab bed models, Ford, Chevy & Sprinter. When the ProMaster based C's come online, that'll shake up the numbers more.

[Davydd]

The stats are not encouraging for Class B RVs considering an average of 10,000 Baby Boomers retire every day now and have been for three years already. Statistically I would say the Class B RV has been written off as a boutique desire and the inherent advantages the B has over other RVs are not that alluring and if the small Cs can partially emulate those advantages in people's minds then there is a perceived bigger bang for the buck buying the C.

I'll go on record again. I think the B manufacturers continued pushing of Bs that can carry or sleep more than 2 people will hurt sales. Otherwise as people walk through RV shows and compare and see ridiculous seating of 4 captain chairs or 7 seatbelts they are just going to laugh. They need to maximize living for 1 or 2 people and sell that.

[georgelesley]

Originally Posted by Davydd

The stats are not encouraging for Class B RVs considering an average of 10,000 Baby Boomers retire every day now and have been for three years already. Statistically I would say the Class B RV has been written off as a boutique desire and the inherent advantages the B has over other RVs are not that alluring and if the small Cs can partially emulate those advantages in people's minds then there is a perceived bigger bang for the buck buying the C.

I'll go on record again. I think the B manufacturers continued pushing of Bs that can carry or sleep more than 2 people will hurt sales. Otherwise as people walk through RV shows and compare and see ridiculous seating of 4 captain chairs or 7 seatbelts they are just going to laugh. They need to maximize living for 1 or 2 people and sell that.

+1. Sell it for what it is.

[booster]

Does anyone publish any demographic information on who is buying RVs? It would be very interesting to see what group is buying B's, especially with rapidly escalating prices. I really wonder if it is the traditional traveling couple anymore, and I think the design of current models designs might reinforce that. Much more attention spent with spiff and expensive finishing than on practicality and usefulness while traveling. If it is the trendy group buying them, they could disappear pretty quickly.

That said, it will be interesting to see how the CS Adventurous does. While it doesn't address the very high cost issue, it is slanted toward traveling campers and utility. Neither of the lowered cost models from Roadtrek (Ranger) or from Pleasureway (?) seemed to do very well in sales, which did surprise me.

We have noticed that the smaller, state and federal, type campgrounds that we go to will often have some B's there, but rarely anything newer.

I did notice that Lake Regions RV still has their original e-trek. It has been marked as sold, on hold, etc several times, and is now listed as on sale as a demo. I don't know that they have sold any e-treks, but maybe. They have sold a few of the CS Adventurous, it appears. Lake Regions also seems to be loading up on larger models, where they used to be almost all conventional B's. Very interesting.

[Davydd]

I don't know of any demographic information. About the only one that gives a hint is Lake Region RVs on Facebook. They have been photographing and posting buyers with their RVs on Facebook here and they all look, for the most part, like us (senior retired or near retired.) In all my travels I have rarely encountered young people under 50 in a B and even rarely anyone with a child. If posters in the various forums and typical rally attendees are any indicator, they pretty much mirror the Lake Region RVs photos.

First time buyers might be a little bit naive. They see the bigger RVs. They want the amenities. Then they fall in love with the B idea. But they buy the sizzle. They see photos of four captain chairs around a table and envision they'll socialize and entertain like home. It looks ideal but in a B it chews up a third of the space for something you would rarely do. Roadtrek is probably the biggest seller of that idea in addition to sleeping more than two. Since Roadtrek is the most popular everyone else feels a need to copy. I don't know what Roadtrek thinks they know but it is hard to argue success other than maybe collectively all the companies are missing the market beating their heads against the wall thinking what they are providing sells.

[bobojay]

Originally Posted by Davydd

The stats are not encouraging for Class B RVs considering an average of 10,000 Baby Boomers retire every day now and have been for three years already. Statistically I would say the Class B RV has been written off as a boutique desire and the inherent advantages the B has over other RVs are not that alluring and if the small Cs can partially emulate those advantages in people's minds then there is a perceived bigger bang for the buck buying the C.

I'll go on record again. I think the B manufacturers continued pushing of Bs that can carry or sleep more than 2 people will hurt sales. Otherwise as people walk through RV shows and compare and see ridiculous seating of 4 captain chairs or 7 seatbelts they are just going to laugh. They need to maximize living for 1 or 2 people and sell that.

+2 David....

I still don't get Winnebago's thinking on the 70A ERA, and the new Travato for that matter, that B owners do alot of "tailgating", and that's why they install the exterior speakers, and exterior viewable TV's.
Where do they get these folks that go to the clinics and tell them these things? No class B rv'er I've ever met in 7+ years of being around class B's

[booster]

Originally Posted by bobojay

I still don't get Winnebago's thinking on the 70A ERA, and the new Travato for that matter, that B owners do alot of "tailgating", and that's why they install the exterior speakers, and exterior viewable TV's.
Where do they get these folks that go to the clinics and tell them these things? No class B rv'er I've ever met in 7+ years of being around class B's

That is exactly why I asked the demographic question, as we see that too. The manufacturers are making all the models with those "tailgating" type features, so someone must be buying them. Weird thing is, we never hear who they are, and never seem to see them, either. We don't frequent tailgating or soccer events, so maybe we miss out on them all. We are much more likely to be tucked away in a small site campground full of bicyclers or hikers, and the newer models just never seem to show up there.

It just so happens that what we consider the king of storage vs size is on ebay. 2005 Roadtrek 210 Popular. It has an aisle shower, added 3rd seat armoir, and a whole lot of storage space.