"Camping World Plans to Sell, Repurpose, or Close Up to 37 Locations"

[RedLdr1]

Looks like CW is trimming down... Maybe their sales are off a bit? See Here

[pkmkaz]

Gee, wonder why....prices suck, personnel......(this is a family friendly forum)...

[itat]

This just says to me that they make a lot more profit selling and servicing RVs. Their stores that don’t do either don’t make them enough profit to be worth the effort since they have to compete with Amazon and Walmart in the aftermarket accessories market.

[Daycruiser]

Originally Posted by itat

This just says to me that they make a lot more profit selling and servicing RVs. Their stores that don’t do either don’t make them enough profit to be worth the effort since they have to compete with Amazon and Walmart in the aftermarket accessories market.

I would tend to disagree, the last several items I've purchased came from CW's online store with the best price. Amazon is rarely competitive on RV stuff, I can beat Amazon prime prices in several places for RV related parts or accessories. My impression is they're in trouble in general and over extended and trying to get back to their core business model. But the problem still remains they have substandard techs that will work for peanuts and a horrible track record for post-sales service. If the economy down turns over the next 18 months or so I think CW will be cash strapped and may have to pack it in. In any case Lemonis will walk away crazy wealthy because he's already pulled his money out of the company.

[BandJCarm]

No interest in their success. However, "repurpose" probably means changing to "Gander RV". I've seen several.


Change your name, hide your flaws, a business model taught in some places.

[gastan]

Sounds like CW wants to push dealership/repair priorities.
"... plan to strategically shift away from locations where the company does not have the ability or where it is not feasible to sell and/or service RVs." and “We believe the sale and/or servicing of recreational vehicles is our core and most important offering .... said Marcus A. Lemonis, chairman and CEO."

That explains my last visit to a CW. There are three CW locations in the Portland, OR metro area. I rarely visit the one in Hillsboro, OR but was in the area a few weeks ago and stopped by to get a water filter --- to find that they have reduced the product/accessories store to ~ 12'x12' room; basically consumable items like TP or tank additives, etc.. Less choice than an average Walmart. The clerk said that eventually they will do away with even that. Leaves that location a dealership/repair shop only. And it is a very large piece of property. I guess they are losing money (or not making a desirable profit) in their stores.

[JWood422]

Simpson Hardware in Sumter, SC just added RV items. Their prices are comparable to Camping World and Amazon. Aisle 12. Ask for Johnny.

[mwdilday]

Probably mis-managed. If I am reading their financial statement correctly they are in trouble. Since 2015 net profit has gone from $174 million to $10 million.

https://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/cwh/fi...come-statement

[Theo]

Interesting. I heard that a local, family-owned RV dealer in our area has just sold their entire business to CW. They have a huge inventory (Winnie, Cougar and similar) and a small parts & accessories space. They also have a huge service department with a very good reputation.

We didn't buy there since they don't carry Rockwood or Shamrock.

I'll stay tuned...

[ronaleh]

It is my view that the entire RV industry is at risk of collapsing under its own weight. On the sales side, there are far too many models, manufacturers, and types offering the same choices to the marketplace. On the service side, the infinite number of models and types need some considerable consolidation and centralization to solve the four-month wait for parts that should not be that unique. There needs to be a massive consolidation and reduction of the number of choices to those that are really different from each other. Finally, the industry needs to understand that if you're purchasing a $50k to $120k vehicle, you need to be treated like someone spending that kind of money. No car dealer worth anything could get away with selling you a $90k unit and not having the unit completely detailed and clean when you pick it up, not having a showroom with comforts, not having a sales force that looks and acts professional, not having a thorough PDI team that really cares about you knowing the vehicle, etc. Instead, most RV dealerships on both the sales and service side are more like Grade B used car shops. You'd think CW and the others would see things from our side of the transaction.

[JPin AZ]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

No interest in their success. However, "repurpose" probably means changing to "Gander RV". I've seen several.


Change your name, hide your flaws, a business model taught in some places.

My CW is now Gander

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by RedLdr1

Looks like CW is trimming down... Maybe their sales are off a bit? See Here

Nope that article says they are growing even larger not trimming down............. read between the lines.

[tankman45]

I have a very low opinion of Camping World. My experience with the CW on Broadway, Oklahoma City was a disaster from the moment they took my cash payment for my new TT. They lied repeatedly and damaged my new TT 3 times before I left the CW after almost a 12 hour wait! Didn't find the damage to the slide-out until I got home.Their service department is a joke. I ended up doing the repair on my own.
Will never set foot in another Camping World or any entity owned by them. Just bad personnel from CEO on down!

Originally Posted by RedLdr1

Looks like CW is trimming down... Maybe their sales are off a bit? See Here

[waybeck2018]

Originally Posted by ronaleh

It is my view that the entire RV industry is at risk of collapsing under its own weight. On the sales side, there are far too many models, manufacturers, and types offering the same choices to the marketplace. On the service side, the infinite number of models and types need some considerable consolidation and centralization to solve the four-month wait for parts that should not be that unique. There needs to be a massive consolidation and reduction of the number of choices to those that are really different from each other. Finally, the industry needs to understand that if you're purchasing a $50k to $120k vehicle, you need to be treated like someone spending that kind of money. No car dealer worth anything could get away with selling you a $90k unit and not having the unit completely detailed and clean when you pick it up, not having a showroom with comforts, not having a sales force that looks and acts professional, not having a thorough PDI team that really cares about you knowing the vehicle, etc. Instead, most RV dealerships on both the sales and service side are more like Grade B used car shops. You'd think CW and the others would see things from our side of the transaction.

X2. Still have a bad taste from my CW purchase 7 years ago

[Teetime]

Very interesting. As the baby boomers slope eases out, you may see fewer RV sales for a time.

Also, the Retail side for parts and supplies are getting eaten up by on line opportunities and other vendors. When traveling, I think of Walmart for RV supplies.

CW also has a bruise on their brand from earlier political comments.

Other than some islolated franchises, they don't have a great reputation on this forum for service either.

Bottom line is that they have several negatives. It may be a good time to sell or change their business model.

[Brother Les]

CW Superstores look to be refurbished into Gander. CW inc. is still slowly expanding and buying up competition and consolidating it's holdings to make the company stronger.



As the economy goes up or down, camping goes up or down, the RV industry goes up or down. The economy is slowing due to to much debit, public and private and the roller coaster of life. People are traveling less and eating out less and looking to throttle back spending. People may not be quickly buying new RVs, but they will need service on their current and growing older models. This 'service' is where CW will rake in the cash, not on the junk that they sell from the store shelves.

[RedLdr1]

Originally Posted by Brother Les

People may not be quickly buying new RVs, but they will need service on their current and growing older models. This 'service' is where CW will rake in the cash, not on the junk that they sell from the store shelves.

I reckon that really depends on how you define "service"...at least beyond "lip service" anyway.

[formerFR]

as we've traveled the country over the last 5 years, over 100,000 miles and many, many stops at Camping World for items needed, I've always enjoyed the experience that CW gives for the 'retail' goods side of the equation, much more than most any other 'dealer' who just happens to have a few retails aisles, usually only as a 'side market', and very few item choices, and sometimes very limited inventory, even though they may be a very large rv 'dealer'.

What I see CW doing is to 'remarket' themselves into another brand for the camping and hunting/fishing world, expanding their strict 'rv' market into other similar, but different, activities that many of the same people like to do - Hunting goes with RVing, and RVing goes with fishing, and Kyaks go with outdoor activities, etc. Gander seems to be this more 'outdoorsy' type of feel, versus the more strict 'rv' feel of CW, though both can do some of each.

Gander also can garner some different and competing brands of RVs that the CW down the road may not have - which is why in the RVing world the 'brands' you carry are not your choice necessarily, as a business, but the choice of the factory. If the factory already has a dealer for it's 'brand' within a certain geographic zone, the CW may not be able to carry that brand, but the Gander location, about 25 miles to the west, may be out of that zone, and can. While even the owners of multi-location dealership would seem to be able to carry the same exact lines/models at every location, the RVing industry doesn't work that way - it really is all about your physical dealership location and whether or not another 'competing' dealer for the same line/model already has that same brand.
Many new RVrs also don't immediately know the difference, or similarity, between these two brands, and may choose to shop at them both - whereas they probably would not if both locations were simply the 'same' Camping World name.

With CW and Gander as two separate 'brands', this can expand the capability for the company, as a whole, to have more selections than might otherwise be practical, and maybe create a different and unique experience in both.

I'll say, too, that CW is not the only dealer to 'expand' greatly over the past 5 years, as the industry as a whole has, but many others have as well, if not most. Everyone wants to have the 'more' to sell more - it goes with the territory. But, yes, if the industry losses traction, the economy turns, or 'spendable' income wanes, then they will certainly be one of the first to feel the brunt.
I was in the family ski-boat building business years ago - 150 employees in the good months of the year, and 25 the rest... it's not the business I would want to stay in for the long term - but it's the nature of a 'seasonal' market, and 'spendable income' type of secondary purchase, for a relative few buyers.

[Jim89]

If I read into this what I think. It says closing locations that can’t sell or service RVs. Sounds to me like they plan to close several Gander locations and convert the rest to Gander RV stores.

[rsdata]

the former Gander Mountain store in Mentor, OH that was reopened under CW is a former shadow of it's old self. Hard to find anything of value in the over-priced ( even at sale prices) Gander/CW store.