Voices
A Guest Editorial

The Sound of Silence?

 by John Ashby, owner
Intermountain Sports RV Center , Inc.
Salt Lake City, UT

John Ashby, owner of Intermountain Sports RV Center in Salt Lake City, UT, is concerned and outraged by the latest encroachment into his business profit centers by the Affinity Group. He told RV News that he has canceled all programs with any company within the Affinity Group and dumped any remaining products such as campground guides and magazines into the trash and taken down all signage that indicates his business participates in any member services program of any Affinity Group company. Ashby also recently addressed the Utah RVDA expressing his concern over Affinity’s action and urged his fellow dealers to take action, separately and independently, to protest Affinity’s competitive actions.

After carefully watching the steps that Affinity has been taking these last few months, it is very evident that RV News has fulfilled a very important role in helping the entire RV industry become aware of what impact this can have on all of us. A big thanks is due for their efforts.

Let me state however, that there are several things that need to be addressed at this time. First, it seems that our own organization, the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), does not see what far-reaching effects this can have on the entire dealer body - which is the backbone of the entire industry.

For RVDA to help us they must not only take a strong stand for what is best for all of us, but they must be involved in disseminating information to dealers about issues such as this that effect the members’ businesses. It appears they have done neither of these.

Next, it seems evident that whenever a serious issue comes up in our industry, we have historically joined together to find a solution to the problem. With all that is happening now with the Affinity Group why are there so many silent voices? Where are the state organizations and how do they feel? Where are the thousands of dealers and what effects are they feeling? If a stand is being taken, what measures are being used and how effective are these measures? Why is it that through all that is impacting dealers that RV News magazine is our only source of information?

Without going over all of the issues again, can we at least agree that Affinity’s recent actions have a great potential for changing not only how we do business, but also may cut deeply into what profits we do make. Shouldn’t we all open our eyes to this change and dedicate some of our time to working on this problem? Shouldn’t we all voice our opinions and call upon our national, state and local organizations to get involved in this issue? I think so.

However, no matter what is being done by others, I urge RV News to continue leading the crusade to keep dealers informed on these issues and tell us what others are thinking.

RVN
   
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