Skewed Stats- Apples and Oranges
BY DANA NELSEN
Yesterday, as I looked over the information pouring in from the newswire, I came across a release by Statistical Surveys based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Because Statistical Surveys, in my humble opinion, is a really great company that provides what many consider invaluable information on tracking consumer buying trends, I immediately opened the release.
The release announced the 2007 calendar year dealership rankings of highest volume RV sales. Dealerships were listed into three categories: motorhomes sales by volume, RV trailer sales by volume and combined RV trailer and motorhome sales by volume. Statistical Surveys gives an award to the leader in each category.
In the motorhome category the top three dealers in order were FreedomRoads, Lazydayz, and Giant RV Center. The top three towable dealers were FreedomRoads, Giant RV, and then Fun Time RV Sales. The combined category of both towable and motorhomes had FreedomRoads, then Giant RV Center, followed by Lazydayz.
Do you see a pattern here?
While I think that Statistical Survey’s information, as always, is really valuable, I mean, after all, isn’t it good to know who is selling the most RVs in the country? I am not sure the data is comparing apples to apples.
It’s kind of like a football game where one team is allowed 70 players on the field, while the other is only allowed 12. Who do you think will win that game? To give an award to an organization with multiple dealership locations just because the whole of its dealerships sold more RVs than single location competitors is kind of silly in my mind — especially when you factor in FreedomRoads, with a gazillion locations.
Journalists love to scoop other news organizations, so here’s my prediction for 2009- “Statistical Surveys will name FreedomRoads top volume RV sales organization in all categories.” There, I’ve beat out all other news organizations by an entire year. Let’s engrave the plaques.
Releasing the information of what company sold the most is great information, but in light of the factors influencing the data, I’m not sure an award is warranted. If Statistical Surveys wants to hand out awards, there might be better ways to determine a winner. “Largest RV sales volume by single location” comes to mind or break out “largest volume by multiple dealership locations” as a category for FreedomRoads. I can think of a number of ways that might make Statistical Surveys awards more coveted. Like all statistics, you can play with the numbers in so many ways that almost anybody could win the award based on what criteria are used. Overall, I guess I’d like to see the competition be fair. What are your thoughts?
March 22nd, 2008 at 5:09 pm
For the record, Fun Time RV, in Cleburne, TX only registers vehicles sold at that location. Other affiliate location’s sold products are registered separately for that particular store.
March 18th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Another day in paridise.Most of us are caught between the Big Boys, the banks and those run down mobile home lots and junk car lots ALLOWED (by the mfgs)TO SELL CAMPERS just hoping to make a buck while shortchanging our customers out of warranty or even proper delivery services……Anyone else want to play?The games are alive and well.
March 16th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Well to answer Carrie’s question. The blog goes out once a week. We also e-mail industry news out three times a week. It is easy to get these two different types of e-mails confused.
As far as numbers, I believe Statistical Surveys tracks consumer registrations of RVs at various Department of Motor Vehicles to compile its data.
My point is if they are going to give away an award to an RV dealership based on the volume that the dealership moves, Statistical Surveys should not lump the sales of a chain of dealerships with multiple locations into one number and then compare that inflated sales number to single location dealership’s sales numbers as the method of determining the winner of the award. A franchise of dealerships with say 70 different locations will easily beat a single RV dealership’s sales numbers in most cases. It’s like comparing the sales volume of all Target Superstores nationwide with the sales volume of the locally owned town grocery store. Who do you think sells more, all Target stores nationwide or the “Anywhereville Grocer” owned by John Doe?
March 14th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Bigger does not mean better. Just another example of corporate size. The problem is as we go forward the large corporate RV OEM’s will gravitate towards the large corporate RV dealers pushing out the smaller one store operations. You have a preponderance of auto dealers that own 40, 50 or more dealerships whose only interest is to move the iron off the lot. This may well be the fate of the RVDA organization being dominated by a small number of mega dealers.
By the way this may not be a good thing for the OEM’s as these dealers will have the market power to tell the OEM’s what to do or take a hike.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
SORRY:( error> BIGGEST!!
March 13th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Like the yankees, hated/wins the most with the biggist payroll. NET/%:)
March 13th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
NET!!!!!
March 13th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Does it really matter? The only #’s that count are at the end of month, quarter, and year for your own store. Keystone is a great example. Does anyone really believe anything they say in their releases, since they show no hard data to support their wild claims. If you run your store right, the bottom line will be there.
March 13th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
I choose to stay small , with little overhead and less headaches, and probably make the same end of year profit as the owner of the large dealerships because of the income to expense ratio….so I could care less for these huge dealerships who show big numbers. And , I agree with Brad, Stats just inflate a manufacturers numbers, and he stated the perfect example , Keystone.
March 13th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I think that is a fine idea grouping them as multi and single dealers, would seem fair since we outsell out local freedom roads - and currently have more registars in our state but according to the survey we still wouldnt be the top. seems unfair
March 13th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
The same thing occurs under the Thor domicile as well as so many other manufacturers. You can’t get a decisively accurate count of sales figures for each RV brand or brand extension because all of the companies and products are grouped together. Statistical Surveys does try to separate some comapnies under their belt - Keystone, CrossRoads, Dutchmen, etc. But, usually that is the end of the count. Is it truly fair to allow the Montana name remain on top when it includees the Big Sky, Montana, Mountaineer, etc?
March 13th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Good afternoon. I’m wondering, if this is a weekly email (as stated in the title of the newsletter), why I seem to be receiving them daily?? Thanks. RSVP