5 Reasons Snowbirds Are Great Buyers for Winter RV Sales
As cold weather continues to sweep the Midwest, many people are thinking more about staying cozy inside than getting out of doors or hitting the road. But for one group of RV buyers, winter is peak season. Snowbirds—seasonal travelers who move south to escape the cold—are in the market for RVs during the colder months. Summer travelers and casual shoppers wait until spring when the weather is nice and camping is on the forefront of everyone’s minds. Snowbirds, however, start browsing during the off season as serious, thoughtful buyers, ready to make a sale. This is a great opportunity for sellers during a traditionally quiet season.
What is a Snowbird?
The term “snowbird” refers to people who travel seasonally from colder climates to warmer ones to spend the winter. They are often either retired from the workforce or able to work remotely throughout the season when they are away from home. Traveling by RV is popular with this crowd because it provides transportation, lodgings, and privacy all in one. This allows snowbirds to keep their familiar belongings, routines, pets, or remote work schedules, and it saves them hotel and ticket costs. Not to mention that it removes the stress of working with flight schedules! Campgrounds give snowbirds neighbors and community, while also giving them their own private space. Modern RVs can provide full bathrooms, nice kitchens, and internet connection. It keeps long, seasonal travel comfortable, affordable, and flexible.
If you are selling an RV, especially during these colder months, snowbirds could be the perfect audience for you. Below are 5 reasons why they make great buyers for winter RV sales:
They are Looking During the Off Season
One of the great things about snowbirds for you as an RV seller is that they provide potential business during the off season. The peak time for RV sales is in the spring, as travelers prepare for summer trips, when the rigs get most of their use. Many sales for motorhomes and travel trailers also take place over the summer, for last-minute trips. The warmer weather and summer vacations keep RVs fresh on peoples’ minds.
The RVing season for snowbirds is opposite from that of the usual crowd, happening during the winter instead. This makes them great customers for used RVs during the fall and winter months, when other buyers are often scarce. Below you can find tips for marketing your used RV to snowbirds specifically.
They Already have Travel Plans in Place
Another great thing about selling to snowbirds is that they already know that they want to travel and when. This makes them more likely to be serious buyers, since the winter deadline gives them a sense of urgency. The selling process is faster and easier when you are just working to sell your specific RV—not trying to sell RVing as a concept to a wavering buyer at the same time!
If you have a motorhome ready to be sold in the late summer, fall, or even winter months, there is no need to wait until spring to start marketing it. There are plenty of serious buyers looking during the winter if you know how to find them.
They Value the Comfort and Reliability of your RV
Snowbirds are also longer-term travelers than many other RVers: Staying gone long enough to avoid the winter cold keeps them away for longer than most summer travelers. They are also likely to be repeat travelers, leaving every time the cold season rolls around.
This means their RV is more like a second home than a hotel. They often prioritize the comfort and reliability of a rig over flashiness or newer models. They probably also want to hear about how an RV has performed in the past. This makes them great buyers for a seller with a used vehicle, as long as it is still in good condition.
Fifth wheel towable RVs are especially popular with RVing snowbirds, because of the extra space in their floorplans—they can also be unhitched from the towing vehicle and left at the campsite, giving RVers a more convenient way to move around while on vacation. However, there are pros and cons to all different types of RVs for snowbirds. Fifth wheels can only be hauled behind pickup trucks, which limits the options (or increases the expenses) for the travelers without pickups! Any class of RV you have can most likely find a new home with a snowbird. It all depends on their personal travel style and preferences.
If you want to Market to Winter Travelers, Remember these Priorities:
Highlight the reliability of your RV, and features such as good sealant, batteries, new tires, and easy winterization (and de-winterization). Potential buyers may want to talk about how it drives and how easy it is to park and store.
They are Thinking Long-term
Since snowbirds are longer-term travelers, it is often easier for them to justify a higher asking price. Buyers who are serious about RVing, or who know they will take multiple trips in their new rig, are more likely to prioritize quality over getting the cheapest product. Even with the high upfront cost, and other expenses like fuel and insurance, owning an RV can be a great investment. Knowing it is saving them many plane tickets, hotel rooms, and/or rental house fees down the road, snowbirds can feel great about their RV purchase!
Remember, however, that it is always hard to justify your asking price unless you can demonstrate the quality of your RV. If a traveler plans to drive their motorhome or trailer across multiple states and live in it all winter, they need to know it will serve them well. As a seller, you must demonstrate your RV’s reliability. Be prepared to show potential buyers your vehicle’s maintenance records, show off its comfortable living areas, and tell stories about how it has provided safe and enjoyable trips.
They Appreciate the Affordability of used RVs
While snowbirds are likely to go for quality over the cheapest deal, there are still many reasons why a snowbird would be in the market for a used RV. Buying used is a great way to get a good quality RV for a much lower cost than at a dealership. This is due to the fact that RVs depreciate very quickly, meaning that once they are sold the first time their value goes down immediately and continues to drop fairly fast. This means that a buyer can get a used RV much cheaper than a new one, even if that RV is not very old.
This makes used RVs a great choice for snowbirds. They can find a good quality vehicle at a lower price, and they can have a chance to discuss its performance and reliability with the previous owner.
An RV can be a good investment for a snowbird, compared to hotel costs and plane tickets. But they still have fees to pay for other things, like parking at campgrounds, insurance, fuel, etc. Purchasing their RV used is a great way for them to minimize the cost of their winter adventures.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do snowbirds influence RV market trends in winter?
Snowbirds are travelers—usually either retired or remote workers—who travel during the winter, usually south, to somewhere to warmer. Because their trips revolve around the seasons, they influence RV market trends in predictable cycles. They affect the demand for motorhomes and towables, RV maintenance, and campground reservations in the warmer southern states. Many dealers adjust their inventory seasonally for snowbirds, including features for long-term travel, such as larger tanks, solar panels, good batteries, and comfortable living areas. Snowbirds also cause a rise in the sales of extra features or add-ons, like solar power and better connectivity, as well as upgrades in heaters or insulation. Overall, snowbird migration has been rising, and it influences the RV market seasonally. As a private seller, you can adjust your marketing strategies during the winter to appeal to the changing market.
How can sellers market to snowbirds effectively?
If you want to appeal to snowbirds, try to align your marketing techniques with both their lifestyle needs and the timing of their seasonal trips. Listing your rig online is a great way for southern sellers to find buyers up north, and vice versa. Offer to give virtual tours, take good pictures, and write up a detailed description of your RV. Having your information online gives you access to a much bigger audience. You can check out National Vehicle’s online marketplace and go here for more information if you might be interested in selling an RV with us. We can help make high quality listings and achieve better online exposure.
When are snowbirds looking for RVs?
In colder, Northern states many snowbirds go RV shopping in October and November, or even December. Another wave of purchases typically happens in December through February. These buyers are last-minute shoppers or snowbirds already on the road for someplace warm—and they are some of the most motivated and serious RV buyers. If you are in one of the more southern states or a milder climate, and looking to sell a used RV, you are most likely to attract one of those later buyers. Try marketing your rig to spontaneous snowbirds, people who have already traveled south and are not happy with their current RV, or full-time RVers. December, January, and February should have the best snowbird market in warm locations.
What regions do snowbirds typically buy RVs for winter travel?
Most snowbirds come from states (typically in the north) with long, harsh winters, that inspire them to migrate south. They typically purchase their motorhome in the cold northern states because of this, although some go RV shopping after they travel south. Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, and the Dakotas see demand from snowbirds during the fall and winter. States like Colorado and Wyoming also have some snowbirds, who leave the higher elevations during the cold. These seasonal travelers provide some variation in demand for the sellers in northern states: Those who winter in places like Alabama, the Carolinas, or the Texas Gulf often still want good insulation and heaters, for cooler days or nights. But snowbirds headed straight south for hotter areas usually prefer simpler, minimalist designs and easy maintenance.
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