Get FinancingThere Are Many Ways To Sell RVs With RVUniverse
Spring is here, and the Great Outdoors beckons. Even before the pandemic sent demand for recreational vehicles skyrocketing, RV sales were strong and RVUniverse had staked its claim as a successful offshoot of the Truck Paper brand. Today, RVUniverse is a go-to source for recreational vehicles and related equipment, with a specialized online search engine and print publication serving buyers and RV dealers alike.
RVs At Customers’ Fingertips
RVUniverse is Sandhills Global’s vibrant marketplace for motorhomes (Class A , Class B , Class B+ , Class C , and Class Super C ), fifth-wheel trailers , truck campers , pop-up campers , toy haulers , and more. Its biweekly Eastern and Western U.S. magazine editions place inventory directly in front of qualified buyers at RV resorts, campgrounds, truck stops, and service stations coast-to-coast.
RVUniverse is available to online RV shoppers via the mobile-friendly RVUniverse.com website and the mobile app for iOS and Android. Buyers can browse for-sale listings, auctions, and auction results with ease, or search by keyword, category, make and model, manufacturer, and more. Sellers can furnish all the essentials in their listings, including numerous photos, videos, floor plan information, location, and multiple types of modern contact information including call, text, email, WhatsApp, Messenger, and video chat.
Everything For The RV Life
RVUniverse plays host to a full range of RVs, campers, and trailers, including units from Coachmen, Forest River, Heartland, Jayco, Keystone, Thor Motor Coach, Airstream, Winnebago, and many others. Dealers also market components and parts for campers, as well as RV accessories such as outdoor patio furniture sets; sofa sleepers and other indoor RV furniture; hitches, ball mounts, and towing accessories; awnings for exterior shade; RV appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, washers, and dryers; electrical, plumbing, and gas components; and far more.
Sales Strategies
RVUniverse gives dealers numerous winning advertising options built on the proven combination of print and online exposure. This confluence of local, regional, and international reach increases dealer market share and return on advertising investment.
The biweekly publication’s Eastern and Western editions print on alternating weeks. Successful sellers often take advantage of both regional editions for nationwide coverage, knowing that RVers, like commercial truck drivers, won’t let a few hundred miles stop them from buying the unit they really want. Additionally, RVUniverse will move to a weekly format in 2024 to further increase the number of available advertising opportunities.
Savvy dealers strategically invest in priority pages in the publication, including front and back covers, inside covers, and facing pages, especially during peak seasons of the year. Similar to other Sandhills marketplaces, better placement in print corresponds with higher placement on RVUniverse.com, a combination approach that spurs significant increases in buyer calls.
Presentation Room
Another type of prime print marketing that drives traffic online is the editorial ad. These spacious one- or multi-page ads highlight an individual RV, such as a unique or high-value model, or an aging one with desirable features. The large ad format provides abundant space for multiple photos of the RV’s interior and exterior and details about its features. An editorial ad comes with a corresponding premium listing and priority placement on RVUniverse.com.
Most of the remaining pages of RVUniverse carry dealer display ads showcasing multiple units, each of which includes a featured listing online. Dealers who consistently run a display ad in the magazine can list their entire inventory on RVUniverse.com in the form of general listings. Single-item photo listings give sellers another effective way to secure a featured listing on the website and in the RVUniverse app.
Crossover Markets
RVUniverse’s popularity has exploded since its debut in 2018, and a big part of its success is due to its well-known sister brands. Major Sandhills trade sites such as TractorHouse.com, TruckPaper.com, and MachineryTrader.com link to RVUniverse listings in their Additional Categories sections. In addition, international brand MarketBook lists RVs shoulder-to-shoulder with machinery, trucks, and trailers on its country-specific websites in Canada and elsewhere.
“RV sellers benefit tremendously from Sandhills’ crossover markets,” says RVUniverse Sales Manager Jason Kassmeier. “Contractors, farmers, and trucking companies all buy RVs. We market RVUniverse heavily to these markets because of their high interest in RVing and camping and because they generate high-quality leads. This is a very strong buyer base exclusive to RVUniverse.”
Buyer Services
RVUniverse.com offers buyers an abundance of services to get the most from the platform. Buyers can click a Save button on listings of interest for future reference, post free Want To Buy notices for specific items they’re looking for, and receive notifications as soon as the RV they want becomes available on the site. RV shoppers can also sign up for weekly email updates that bring the newest listings directly to their inboxes.
Under the Additional Categories section, RVUniverse.com links to other equipment of interest to RVers, including generators, utility and cargo trailers, enclosed car carrier trailers, utility vehicles (UTVs), golf carts, and more.
Available Through RVUniverse
- Diesel and gasoline Class A motorhomes
- Class B, B+, C, and Super C motorhomes
- Truck campers for pickup beds
- Teardrop trailers bumper-pull towable by nearly any car, truck, or SUV
- Park models, mobile homes, and destination trailers with all the comforts of home
- Travel trailers of all descriptions and sizes
- Spacious and luxurious fifth-wheel trailers
- Toy haulers in travel trailer, fifth-wheel, and motorhome form
- Hard- and soft-sided pop-up trailers and tent campers
- Toterhomes and toter trucks with incredible towing power
- Fish house RVs for the ultimate in ice-fishing comfort
- Many other RV-related items
Contact your Sandhills representative to learn more about RVUniverse and how it can help you to maximize your RV marketing effectiveness.
A version of this article first appeared in Sandhills Magazine. You can find the current issue and back issues in the Sandhills Magazine Archive.