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Old 02-16-2012, 06:32 PM   #1
Bluegrass
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Default Why Dealers Don't Sell TrailManor

Had some interesting conversations at the Salt Lake RV show about why dealers don't / won't carry TrailManor trailers. Two dealers had sold them in the past. Two others had not but knew about the product.

You could lump their reasoning into three categories and most expressed all three:

1. TM is very expensive compared to comparably built traditional trailers and that is a showstopper for 95% of potential buyers.
2. TM is a niche product. Actual buyers are typically people who already know about them and come to the dealer looking specifically for a TM. Those buyers are few and far between compared to buyers for traditional trailers.
3. TMs don't move in the volume of other trailers. So if a dealer is making a decision about allocating floor space to a trailer which will move over a TM that will take much longer to sell, it's a no brainer.

One of the dealers noted that the TM dealers who sell the most are small specialty shops, not larger dealers.

Another said that TMs are a PITA to demo - you have to open them up, close them down and explain all that this entails which is often quite confusing to a buyer. Much easier to demo a traditional trailer. You unlock the door and let the people in.

Thought all this was interesting.

Keith
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Old 02-16-2012, 08:23 PM   #2
Beak12
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Keith,
I wonder if these dealers sell any kind of pop-ups? I have had 2 pop-ups and I think the TM is much less work.

PS: Now that I think about it. There are not many dealers like Cutome RV. They travel to shows in San Diego, Pomona (I think one of the biggest RV shows in the country) And almost always a present at the TM rally's in Petaluma CA.
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Old 02-16-2012, 08:27 PM   #3
Jim&Joan
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Default same ol'

It's always more difficult to take the path less traveled. Both for the dealers and us TM'ers it sounds like.
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Old 02-17-2012, 05:35 AM   #4
scrubjaysnest
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Originally Posted by Beak12 View Post
Keith,
I wonder if these dealers sell any kind of pop-ups? I have had 2 pop-ups and I think the TM is much less work.
Most likely not, real estate for product is expensive. Most buyers are wanting a camper and may not know what that means.
We have one dealer on Ocala that is almost exclusively pop-ups.
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Old 02-17-2012, 06:59 AM   #5
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I have been to the Washington Area RV Show, and the Richmond RV Show the last 3 years, and out of those 6 trips I have not seen a TM displayed. 4 or 5 years ago, there was a TM display at Richmond.
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Old 02-17-2012, 07:52 AM   #6
Bluegrass
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Only one of the four sells pop-ups. Very few on his lot. Also the A-liner dealer is actually car dealer who carries the A-liner as a side line.

Never paid much attention to any of this before but I'm beginning to see how the economics determines the types of trailers a dealer carries.

Keith
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Old 02-17-2012, 08:07 AM   #7
mjlaupp
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Originally Posted by Bluegrass View Post
....Another said that TMs are a PITA to demo - you have to open them up, close them down and explain all that this entails which is often quite confusing to a buyer. Much easier to demo a traditional trailer. You unlock the door and let the people in.....
This is the same dealer(s) that several owners have complained to this board about having a lack of knowledge and service competence.

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Old 02-17-2012, 08:36 AM   #8
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Trailmanor owners sell trailmanors.
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Old 02-17-2012, 09:48 AM   #9
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With the price of real estate around here I doubt you will find anyone selling anything cheaper than a $100k MH.

2500 square foot single story house, 25 years old, on a quart acre will cost around $1,000,000. Not sure how much of that is for the land.
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Old 02-17-2012, 11:42 AM   #10
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Trailmanor owners sell trailmanors.
Spot on. When I took the new to me 1996 25/18 for a shakedown last year I did not notice the fellow camper across from me until I was through setting up and he walked across with his brother who was camped next to him and both said they had never seen one like mine and were wondering if they could see the inside. Needless to say they were impressed and told them they should go to the Trailmanor site as there are different models and options available. Needless to say with dealers being few and far between we are the up front contact sales people whether we wish to be or not.

Bob
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