Never on a Sunday?
Should grey nomads and other soon-to-be travellers be able to buy a recreational vehicle on any day of the week … and do they actually want to? That’s the surprising debate raging in Queensland after the State Government announced it was looking at plans to allow businesses to sell caravans on Sundays.
In a surprise twist, Caravanning Queensland – the industry body for caravan dealers, manufacturers, camping suppliers, service providers and caravan park operators – said it opposed the move, arguing that the current trading hours already serviced demand for caravans effectively.
“Extending trading hours would increase consumer costs due to increased overheads, negatively affecting the potential sales to be made,” the organisation’s chief executive officer, Ron Chapman told the Brisbane Times. “Business operators would not have a choice in the matter, and many dealerships would be open for open’s sake.”
He said that people did not just dash down to their local dealership grab a caravan when it was convenient for them.
“Purchasing a caravan is more of a project rather than a leisurely activity,” he said. “It takes months, often a couple of years of research and education for buyers to come to a purchase decision.”
The Brisbane Times reports that in 2015, Queensland sold more caravans, motorhomes and recreational vehicles than any other state in the country. That is despite New South Wales and Victoria having a larger population and seven-day trading.
However, an independent review has recommended a raft of trading hours for all sorts of stores in Queensland be simplified to make them more customer-friendly.
Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said the changes would allow caravan dealers to determine what hours they opened within the new allowable hours.
“It’s important to note that it is not compulsory for caravan dealers to open on Sundays,” Ms Grace said. “They don’t have to open for the full spread of hours – this is a business decision for the individual owners based on client needs and what is best for the business.”
I think the industrial relations minister Grace is a little naive, if one dealer opens on a Sunday they will all open on a Sunday and the price of vans will go up accordingly due to increased costs for the caravan dealers.
Bought ours at the Caulfield Caravan Show but we looked at a lot on sundays since we were working on all the other days.
Does hardware go up on Sundays or anything else including cars so why would prices of caravans and motorhomes be any different?
I like the idea of making the working week a seven day week with overtime paid to those working over their normal hours. Surely that could help the caravan businesses cope with the costs of operating seven days. It is an expensive decision to buy a van, and having the opportunity to view them on both saturday and sunday would be a big bonus so that there is no rush to make a decision. We looked at hundreds of caravans for many months before we made our decision to purchase.
Should work the same as display homes, open all weekend closed Monday and Tuesday.
No need to add costs anywhere.
Surely the way to go!
Here in SA Saturday and Sunday’s are the busier on those days for the yards open than any other, simply because the buyers are working the other days in order to be able to afford one I have bought three of my vans on a weekend, these people need to get out more and see what the buying public actually do.