How to explain Heartland or North Trail...

campntn · Nov 19, 2007

K, since Heartland is a relatively new RV company,(I don't know how long they have been in business), I have got some camping friends nervous as we look at a new unit. They think it's "risky" or I'm "trading down" from our Outback.

We will be getting the 28BHS North Trail, hopefull this week. I test pulled it, and loved everything, mostly, about it.
But are there facts I can use as defense? How much of the market Heartland has? or stats? I dunno. Not a lot of people even know the name when I mention it. They know "bighorn", but not the Heartland company. Any thoughts? ideas? snappy comebacks when somebody says "who's Heatland?" LOL.
Thanks!
Mark

snuffy · Nov 20, 2007

campntn said:
K, since Heartland is a relatively new RV company,(I don't know how long they have been in business), I have got some camping friends nervous as we look at a new unit. They think it's "risky" or I'm "trading down" from our Outback.

We will be getting the 28BHS North Trail, hopefull this week. I test pulled it, and loved everything, mostly, about it.
But are there facts I can use as defense? How much of the market Heartland has? or stats? I dunno. Not a lot of people even know the name when I mention it. They know "bighorn", but not the Heartland company. Any thoughts? ideas? snappy comebacks when somebody says "who's Heatland?" LOL.
Thanks!
Mark

You should never have to defend yourself from friends. And from what I've seen, the Outbacks are not high end.
All you need to say is "I like it and I paid for it." Their choice is their decision.

campntn · Nov 20, 2007

Good point and below is cc'd from the response from Mike in the "ask the factory" in North Trail travel trailers:
Mark

Mark,
This is might be the worlds longest reply - here we go. First of all you are not trading "Down" - I can promise that. Yes the North Trail might be newer but it has a 2" side wall, 6" I-beam, Crowned laminated Roof (strongest in the industry), Wide Trax suspension system, 3- 9,000 BTU Stove top with electric ignition, convection microwave, longer beds and I could keep going. All these things are as good or better than what the Outback uses and not just the Outback, but 95% of the industry. So the notion of down grading is complete nonsense. Secondly, I was in this industry in 1999 when a hand full of Coachman sales reps, went to Louisville (which is our big dealer show) pitching a new company called Keystone. I remember saying to retail customers / dealers the same thing your buddies are saying about a new company and being risky. At the time, I was with Holiday Rambler - a company that has been around 50 years. We'll that was 8 years ago and Keystone has since been bought by Thor and Keystone will do about 800 million dollars in product sales this year - a very good company. Now I was still with Holiday Rambler when in 2004 a group of Gulfstream sales rep went to Louisville pitching a new company called Heartland. In the 3.5 years since, Heartland has risen to the #4 5th wheel manufacturer and has received a significant financial investment by the New York Investment group, Catterton Partners. This company has significant investments in companies such as Outback Steak House, Build-a-Bear and other consumer driven companies. Also, Heartland will do about 250 million dollars in product this year, making Heartland the fastest growing RV company in history. So I would say the risk part is over, maybe if you were buying in that first year, I might have agreed with your buddies about risk but those days are long gone. I hope this helps.

Mike C

How to explain Heartland or North Trail...

campntn

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snuffy

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campntn

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