Yuma RV inventory goes global

| Record gas prices have driven some savvy businessmen to seek a detour around spiraling fuel expenses.

And while overseas sales might be an exit to profitability, recent exports of an RV lot is largely accelerated by its Web page, says a Yuma dealer.

No one can put a price on quality family time and while he is in the RV business, he really sells a lifestyle, said Mike Green, owner of RV World, said.

"No matter what the price of gas, people still want to go camping."

Although he has been recently selling RVs to Russia and Australia, he's been doing exports since the early 1990s to Japan.

"We've made contact and shipped them over there. We're looking to do some more, of course. But we're waiting for some feedback."

Exports are less than 5 percent of Green's business and while he would gladly boost those figures, sales abroad were stimulated by the Web page he posts, he said.

"As far as our Internet business goes, two things make it successful: our designer, Matt Molenar, and our in-house guy, Andy Green."

The latter is no relation but he manages the Web site and gets right on top of having customers signing needed documents and e-mailing them, Green noted.

"Andy is committed to the customers and the company," Green said. "You can have the biggest and best Web page, what makes a difference is the guy operating it."

Overall business is down about 25 percent from last year, Green said. Some of that is attributable to high gas prices and he doesn't make light of the situation. But when an RV owner sees how much joy it brings to his family, it makes the bitter taste of high gas prices more palatable, Green said.

A fully self-contained travel trailer sleeping four is still very affordable, as low as $200 per month compared to $400 a month for a car, he added.

"You're not on anybody else's schedule, you're the captain of your own ship," Green said. "When you pull out of the driveway in your RV, you're in control. The whole USA is your playground."

During the previous decade, RVs have improved in how they handle the road, Green said. And high-end models are equipped with accessories such as satellite dishes, DVD players and computer stations.

While high gas prices are a concern, he did not think that factor would discourage winter visitors from making the journey to Yuma when faced with the alternative of dealing with three feet of snow for the season.

Yet those who keep track of such information would digress from such an upbeat outlook. Paul Sheedel and his wife, Brenda Ellis, run Yuma Stats, an online data service that reports to subscribers.

Sheedel said that during the 2006-07 winter season, the number of visitors grew by 2.9 percent. But this past season, growth increased by only .7 percent. It could be speculated that the reduced increase can be linked to the rise in fuel prices, Sheedel said.

Alan Hert, general manager of Hometown RVs, said, summer is typically slow for RV sales. Some small dealers actually conduct business only from October to May. The recent trend has been away from big rigs, he noted.

"At $4.85 for diesel, you have to take out a loan to fill up the tank," Hert said. "But I couldn't give an honest opinion (about impact) until our season gets going in October."

Mary Sue DePuy, professor of economics at Arizona Western College, said there was a trend favoring small car purchases in the 1970s when OPEC cut supplies of oil to the world market and drove up prices, and it is now repeating itself.

"From a macro perspective, I see a decline in large vehicles," DePuy said. "But some people would never buy a small vehicle. They want what they want so much, they're willing to pay a price, if they have the resources."

Gary Hulsey, owner of Yuma Quality RV, who does service, said he has seen a decrease of 40 to 45 percent of his business since January. He also said he expects there will be markedly fewer visitors next winter because of high gas prices.

"People from Canada spend a lot of money, even 25 cents per gallon makes a huge difference when you're traveling 2,500 miles," Hulsey said. "RVs are not known for fuel economy. That can be a $700 increase each way. We'll see what happens. It will get worse before it gets better."

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William Roller can be reached at
wroller@yumsun.com or 539-6858.