The RV industry is facing more than a temporary sales slump, according to several major RV dealer executives who spoke at the 2026 RV Industry Power Breakfast in Elkhart, Indiana.
During a dealer panel covered by RVBusiness, executives from Campers Inn RV, Walnut Ridge RV, General RV Centers, Blue Compass RV, and Fun Town RV discussed the state of the RV market, including affordability, pricing transparency, service problems, warranty work, artificial intelligence, and changing buyer expectations.
The comments came as new RV shipment data showed the industry is still running behind last year’s pace.
According to the RV Industry Association’s April 2026 survey of manufacturers, total RV shipments finished the month at 29,209 units. That was down 17.4% from April 2025, when manufacturers shipped 35,375 units.
Through the first four months of 2026, RV shipments were down 13.5% compared with the same period last year.
Dealers Say Buyers Are More Informed
Ben Hirsch, chief operating officer of Campers Inn RV, told the Power Breakfast audience that the industry is facing “a very real structural change,” according to RVBusiness.
Hirsch said artificial intelligence is changing the way consumers shop by making information easier to find. He said buyers can now quickly research pricing, quality, and other details from their phones.
That change, he said, means the RV industry has to move away from being mainly sales-focused and become more focused on service and ownership.
Nathan Hart, a partner at Walnut Ridge RV, also pointed to the ownership experience. He said RV ownership is not frictionless and said the industry needs to improve the customer experience with technology and artificial intelligence.
Hart said technology could also help speed up backend support, including warranty authorizations.
Affordability Is a Major Concern
Dealers also raised concerns about the price of new RVs.
Jon Ferrando, CEO and president of Blue Compass RV, said he reviewed invoices for some of his company’s most popular RVs by segment and compared current prices with 2020 prices.
According to RVBusiness, Ferrando said those products were now 24% to 60% more expensive.
That has made it harder for some shoppers to move forward with a new RV purchase, especially while interest rates, economic uncertainty, and other costs remain concerns for buyers.
Loren Baidas, CEO of General RV Centers, said the RV industry was once built around affordability. He told the audience the challenge now is figuring out how to make RVing a more affordable lifestyle again.
Used RV Sales Show Demand Has Not Disappeared
The dealers did not say interest in RVing has gone away.
Ferrando said used RV sales at Blue Compass locations were up 20%, according to RVBusiness. He said that was not good news for RV manufacturers or the new RV market, but it showed demand was still there.
That point matters because the latest shipment numbers show a split in the market.
RVIA reported that towable RV shipments fell 20.7% in April 2026 compared with April 2025. Motorhome shipments, however, rose 13.0% during the same period.
Year to date, total towable RV shipments were down 16.4%, while total motorhome shipments were up 14.2%.
Pricing Transparency Is Another Concern
Pricing transparency was another major issue raised during the dealer panel.
Hirsch said the industry needs to find a way to provide fair and transparent pricing. He pointed to differences in how dealers advertise prices, including some that list full pricing online and others that add freight, prep, or other charges separately.
He described the current pricing environment as “the Wild West,” according to RVBusiness.
Hirsch also warned that if the RV industry does not address pricing transparency itself, regulators could eventually step in.
That warning comes as consumers have become more used to comparing prices online before making major purchases. It also reflects a broader concern among dealers that RV shoppers are no longer willing to accept confusing pricing or poor communication as part of the buying process.
Service and Ownership Support Are Under Pressure
The panel discussion also focused on what happens after the sale.
Dealers said buyers compare RV ownership with other consumer experiences, including major retailers, automakers, and technology companies. In those industries, customers often expect faster answers, clearer communication, and less friction.
RVs are different from many other purchases because they combine living space, plumbing, electrical systems, appliances, chassis components, and outdoor-use demands. Problems can be more complicated, and repairs often involve both dealers and manufacturers.
Still, the dealer comments suggest that many in the industry now see service, warranty support, and ownership experience as central to the future of RV sales.
RV Shipments Remain Down
The dealer comments came the same week RVIA’s April shipment report showed another month of decline.
Total RV shipments were down 17.4% in April 2026 compared with April 2025. Through April, manufacturers had shipped 115,260 RVs in 2026, compared with 133,223 during the same period in 2025.
Towable RVs made up most of the decline. April travel trailer shipments fell 20.9% year over year, while fifth-wheel shipments fell 25.4%.
Motorhomes were a brighter spot. Type B van campers were up 9.1% in April, and Type C motorhomes were up 23.6%. Type A motorhomes were down 14.0%.
What It Means for RV Shoppers
For RV shoppers, the dealer panel points to a market where buyers may have more leverage, more information, and more reason to compare options carefully.
The rise in used RV sales suggests many shoppers are still interested in RVing but may be looking for ways to avoid the higher cost of new units.
The discussion also shows that dealers themselves are aware of the pressure points many RV owners talk about often: pricing, service delays, warranty problems, and the overall ownership experience.
The industry has gone through downturns before. What makes this one different, according to the dealers who spoke at the Power Breakfast, is that buyers have changed.
They are more informed, more price-sensitive, and less willing to accept a difficult ownership experience after the sale.
Sources:
RVBusiness, “Dealer Panel Gives Views on Current State of Industry,” published May 21, 2026.
RV Industry Association, “April RV Shipments Hit 29,000, Motorhomes +13%,” published May 2026.
Write a comment