Overcoming First-Time RV Buyer Challenges

At first glance, buying a recreation vehicle may seem like an easy process. After all, it’s an exciting time for your customers, filled with enthusiasm and anticipation for hitting the open road to explore new places with their new purchase.

But buying a recreation vehicle has its challenges too, especially for first-time RV buyers. Those dealers that know how to help new buyers address these challenges have a huge advantage in attracting new customers and closing more deals.

Common Challenges for First-Time RV Buyers

Consider the following challenges new RV buyers face and a few tips to help them overcome their obstacles.

Challenge: Information and Options Overload

Today’s RV buyers have lots of options—even more now than in recent years. Nearly every RV dealer has a full lot and is motivated to sell, which can sometimes lead to information and options overload, especially for first-time RV buyers. Having to choose between features, size, floorplans, amenities, and which type of RV is best for them can be a big decision for first-time buyers.

Solution: Inform Your Shoppers

At the end of the day, your customers want to understand whether a recreation vehicle will support what they’re looking for. Offer consultation appointments for first-time customers and ask where they intend to travel, where they intend to stay, and how often they intend to use their new RV. Invite your sales team to focus on education first, not just upselling.

This approach to education should extend to your website too. If you have the resources to run a blog, consider creating a short, informative series of articles to help first-time buyers specifically. A little education goes a long way in helping your audience feel comfortable and confident in their new purchase.

Challenge: Shifting Consumer Trends

This may seem elementary, but consumer demographics and trends change all the time. What first-time buyers want today may change as soon as tomorrow. Market and economic influences are always in play, and it’s never safe for a dealer to stay put in their approach to RV sales and customer communication for too long.

Solution: Know Your Customers and Their Concerns

Pay attention to shifting market trends and make sure that you and your sales team are aware of the specific challenges that buyers face. These may include rising interest rates, the environmental impact of RVs, and changes that are inherent with each new generation of RV buyers. While new RV buyers come from all different demographics, they tend to experience some shared challenges and some that are more exclusive to their generation.

Take time to talk to your customers and invite their feedback via your website. When you know the concerns your customers face, you can take steps to help them overcome their fears. Your geographical region may also have trends or challenges specific to your area, so it’s important to pay attention to what new buyers want, not just online, but in your local area too.

Challenge: Economic Impact

Recreation vehicles represent freedom and fun, but they’re also a significant purchase. It can be especially difficult for first-time RV buyers to overcome affordability concerns and the economic feasibility of owning a RV. As you’ve probably experienced, these considerations can cause significant stress throughout the decision-making process. Many shoppers are afraid to make the wrong decision, which can lead to constant setbacks and hesitation to buy. Some would-be first-time buyers get stuck in an endless loop of getting ready to buy and then backing off.

Solution: Provide Online Tools to Help Customers Feel Comfortable

When buyers feel prepared for a purchase, even before reaching out to a salesperson, they tend to be more likely to buy and less likely to experience economic concerns. Give your new customers all the tools they need on your website to make an informed decision and to calculate the affordability of their new purchase.

These tools include payment calculators, tow guides, and a helpful RV shopper guide to help first-time buyers narrow their purchase, calculate their monthly expenses, and find the perfect RV for them. They also include friendly navigation features like RV-specific search filters and a robust inventory library that includes detailed pictures, videos, specs, descriptions of each RV.

When you prepare first-time buyers with the information they want and need to make an informed purchase, you give them the experience they want and help them to overcome their fears and hesitancies.

Conclusion

Buying a new RV should be the experience of a lifetime, not one that new buyers dread. Give your shoppers the tools and resources they need to make an informed decision and to feel comfortable with their new purchase.

The best place to start is where nearly every new shopper goes first—online. Support new RV buyers by providing proper education and guidance on your website. Practical information about pricing, affordability, features, and the opportunity to ask questions can give your website visitors needed peace of mind and turn first-time shoppers into confident buyers.

To learn more about overcoming common RV buying challenges, visit Interactrv.com.