How To Shop An RV Show
f you are not familiar with Meyer’s RV, we are known to participate in a variety of RV Shows throughout the NY State and PA region. We also take pride in the wide variety of different brands we carry (over 100) at national pricing. What’s national pricing? Well Meyer’s has high-volume buying power with its manufacturers. This allows us to deliver lower prices for our buyers. RV shows are an amble opportunity for the public to see our wide variety of inventory at our special discounted pricing. But, enough about us… sometimes shopping an RV show can be overwhelming and you may not know where to start. So, we put together a list of some helpful tips for you to successfully make it through an RV show. Here are 10 things to know before you go:
1. Do Your Research Before: Although an RV show is the perfect place for educating yourself on RVs, if you haven’t identified what you are interested in, it can be overwhelming. Researching before you go will help narrow down what you may be looking for. If you are in the market for a towable, know your tow capacity, you can find a number of tow guides on the internet or click here!
Find out what floorplans you like and what features are important to you. The further down the funnel you get the easier your search becomes!
2. Attend The Slowest Day / Or Multiple Days: If you don’t have a flexible schedule, it can be tough, but try and avoid the weekend crowds because it can get busy! You’ll want to take your time looking at all the models you are interested in and when every camper is full of spectators it can become overwhelming.
3. Bring Drinks and Snacks: Not all shows have a food available, and if they do the wait can be long. So pack yourself a lunch or bring some snacks because you won’t want to lose any time waiting in line!
4. Have A Shopping Plan: Some shows have hundreds to thousands of RVs, so have a game plan. Whether your looking for a specific brand or floorplan, knowing what to look for will make the search much easier.
5. Bring Something To Record Information: It is easy to lose track of every RV you have looked at after a long day of shopping. And when you find a few rigs you may want to remember some folks bring a pen and note pad to write down the important information. Some also take pictures with their cell phones of stock numbers, specs, brand and the layout. It’s also a great idea to pick up some literature of brochures on the particular campers you have of interest. The brochures are packed full of valuable information and specs on the entire brand of campers and breaks each down by floorplan. They are very helpful to look back on when division making comes. No matter what, don’t rely on memory!
6. Talk To Manufacture Reps: At larger RV shows including our own, RV manufacturers will attend to support the dealership. No one can answer you questions better than a manufacture representative who specializes in that particular RV. So make sure you ask as many questions as you can!
7. Don’t Be Afraid Of Sales People: Sure, salespeople have the stereotype of being pushy and in your face. But, most of them aren’t what they seem! Speaking for our own sales team, they go through a series of sales training that involves dealing with different types of customers. They know how to identify someone who is truly interested in buying and someone who is not. They’re there to answer any questions for you and will be happy to help. So don’t be afraid to talk with a sales person, they want to help you even if you are not in the market, because building a relationship is what is more important to them.
8. Weigh Your Options Fully Before You Buy – It’s easy to be an impulse buyer at an RV Show, which is not a bad thing for some folks, but don’t regret your decision! It is true that show prices are substantially lower that normal and are a bargain for sure, but don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. Make sure it checks all your boxes, ask all the questions you need and think about it first. Shows are usually a few days long so don’t be afraid to come back!
9. You’re Getting A Good Deal: When it comes to crunching numbers a lot of buyers will negotiate back and forth with their sales person to make sure they’re getting the best deal possible. Negotiating is a good thing, and many times the dealer is flexible. But, don’t assume that the dealer is pulling a fast one on you. Remember, the whole point of RV shows is to try and sell RVs! The dealer wants people to buy so they wouldn’t be putting unfair pricing out there. So, once number crunching starts and you feel you can’t agree on a number, that may mean you are not ready to buy and that is perfectly okay.
10. Delivery Process: Once you’ve found the perfect camper for you and you’ve paid, its time to plan the delivery. Make sure you know where to pick up your new RV and where other post purchase activities are located. Once the show is over all the RVs leave the show and go back to the dealership. The dealership is where you delivery will take place. Make sure you get a delivery date on the calendar to go pick up your new camper! During the delivery, you will go over all your financing paperwork and finalize any documents. Then a technician will walk you through your new camper to show you how all the bells and whistles work. This is another perfect time to ask any questions you have!
RV shows are a great time to compare different manufactures, brands and floorplans all in one place. They are a great opportunity to find a great deal if you’re in the market. If you fallow these steps you’ll be set for a successful shopping trip at an RV show!
Click here to see our upcoming shows!
