jtcfishing
Member
Had some news from a rv show in kansas city today that Heartland was going out of business!!! anyone have any insight?
Business question?
- Thread starter jtcfishing
- Start date
jimtoo
Moderator
jtcfishing, is there anyone you would care to quote as official or is this just one of those things that you heard someone say that somebody thinks that somebody else maybe said that he thinks that someone else said it and that nobody really knows nothing for sure. Just trying to start something.
leftyf
SSG Stumpy-VA Terrorist
Check Snopes!None
If I wasn't tapping this out from a cell phone, I could type a novel.
Heartland was the only mfr in Elkhart to run in December.
Heartland is the only one running in Elkhart in January.
While the industry, generally had a bad Louisville show, we booked about 1200 orders and signed 30 new dealers.
The new model year product and improvements are awesome. Shows to date are generating strong interest.
While sales are slower and 2009 will be rough for the industry, including Heartland, we will weather it and come out of the other side of it stronger and likely with a larger slice of a smaller pie.
Choose Heartland with confidence
Jim
from the Tampa show
Heartland was the only mfr in Elkhart to run in December.
Heartland is the only one running in Elkhart in January.
While the industry, generally had a bad Louisville show, we booked about 1200 orders and signed 30 new dealers.
The new model year product and improvements are awesome. Shows to date are generating strong interest.
While sales are slower and 2009 will be rough for the industry, including Heartland, we will weather it and come out of the other side of it stronger and likely with a larger slice of a smaller pie.
Choose Heartland with confidence
Jim
from the Tampa show
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jtcfishing
Member
Thanks for the heads up on Heartland Jim, I am not trying to stir rumors just asking because a dealer here made the comment. This dealer was more than likely just putting on the show sales talk,also they were not Heartland dealers!
boatto5er
Founding VA Chap Ldr (Ret)
Well, I think the highlight in Red just about says it all. Another non-Heartland dealer trying to scare someone out of buying a Heartland product.
Yeah - it happens. I have not been in this industry long enough to hear all of the tricks and tactics other dealers and other manufacturers use to shake the confidence of a potential buyer.
Fortunately for me, I know little about other manufacturers or their products and even less about dealers of other brands. When I am at a show and a prospective customer wants to know why Bighorn over Cedar Creek for example - I am at a loss. I have to hand them off to a sales rep that knows the differences.
Funny story (not really) - one of the sales team that was brought into the Tampa show by the dealer, was told by a rep from another manufacturer, a week prior, that Heartland failed to make payroll. The tactic worked too. It shook this guy enough that he made calls to the dealer. The dealer had heard nothing. He then called Heartland directly where he was set straight. That gave him the confidence to make the several state trip to Florida to work the show.
So things like this get started more often than I even realized and it's unfortunate.
Back to the truth
We sold 3 Landmarks and 5 Bighorns at this show. Same total for these 2 brands as last year at this show - so we're pretty happy with that. We also had another display with Big Country, Eagle Ridge, Sundance, North Trail, Edge and Cedar Ridge. I don't know what our numbers were for these products but I do know we sold our first couple of Cedar Ridge products there. This is our new Extended Stay trailer. Like a park model but without a park model designation.Jim
pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
IMHO from what I see in the marketplace. Stuff like the Edge, North Country and Eagle Ridge is what they need for these times as people draw their purse strings tight on higher end stuff.
People who RV will keep doing it and buy what they want. I think the key to growth will be to get new people into the lifestyle at a price they can afford or are willing to spend right now. Then when times are good they will hopefully upgrade.
I just bought a North Country and can tell you that the dealers I dealt with said they can't keep them in stock. They all said Heartland is the fastest and best made RV on the market. I was real close to buying a Jayco but Heartland's personal touch convinced me. As long as they treat the customer right, they will succeed.
Larryheadhunter
X-Rookies Still Luving it
Folks, take into consideration that Elkhart as one of the highest unemployment rates in the country according to CNN. I think that they mentioned somewhere close to 12-15%. Think of all those other mfrs that have closed their doors. One of their reasons for Heartland's success, is the hiring of Jim Beletti, and this forum. Can you imagine novices like me not having someplace and someone to ask questions to? I wouldn't have lasted more than a month. Heck, I just learned about packing the bearings and adjusting the brakes. I wouldn't have had a clue about E rated vs G rated tires. So much more to learn, I bet I will one of the few people that get more technical as they get older.
jmgratz
Original Owners Club Member
I agree that this forum along with Jim B and the others who help him are a very positive part of the success of Heartland. Don't forget the other employees of Heartland who get on the forum and address concerns and answer questions of owners and prospective owners. There are very few companies in any industry today that provide these kind of interactions with their customers. Try and get that kind of interaction with any of the auto manufacturers.
Shadowchek
Well-known member
After reading this forum for a while before we purchased our Bighorn I was well armed when shopping. I could not believe the amount of crap I recieved from salesmen. I was educating them on the features of Heartland products and others. You would think that they would want to be educated on them to help sell them but they mostly rely on B.S. We finally ended up dealing with a pretty laid back salesman that wasn't real knowledgable but not full of it either. After reading this forum I didn't care what the salesman knew. I knew more than what they did and all I needed to to make a well informed decision. I also researched a few other brands but it always lead me back to Heartland.
Greg
Greg
SmokeyBare
Well-known member
Real Learning curve...
It's sad when the consumer has better information than the sales staff trying to sell a product. Seems not to matter if it's pieces parts at a home building center... or one of a far higher valued purchase such as an RV.
Sure it takes time to study the product your selling... but no more than what we all have done... as we considered such a large outlay of Cash.
I do give credit to the Internet... it's given a more condensed form of information which to gather information from. Perhaps what we're finding... will one day change the manner and methods that sales persons conduct them selves. Simply said... perhaps one day... far less B/S !!
Good Job Greg !
Marv
It's sad when the consumer has better information than the sales staff trying to sell a product. Seems not to matter if it's pieces parts at a home building center... or one of a far higher valued purchase such as an RV.
Sure it takes time to study the product your selling... but no more than what we all have done... as we considered such a large outlay of Cash.
I do give credit to the Internet... it's given a more condensed form of information which to gather information from. Perhaps what we're finding... will one day change the manner and methods that sales persons conduct them selves. Simply said... perhaps one day... far less B/S !!
Good Job Greg !
Marv
