An RV dealer sent me this photo today and asked me what I thought of the tactic.

Apparently Camping World has erected this billboard less than 100 feet from a competitor's lot. It's message is, "We beat this dealers price every time." 

The same Camping World store hired a mobile billboard to drive back and forth in front of the dealership during an open house event last month. People inside the truck used bullhorns to shout messages at customers walking the dealer's lots encouraging them to visit the Camping World store.

Camping World has always had a reputation for being a strong competitor. In the past, the simple announcement that a Camping World was moving into a particular market sent shivers down the spines of local RV dealers. They feared the company because of its reputation for low prices and because the stores usually had a wider variety of parts and accessories than many of the market's dealers.

After successive quarterly declines in same store sales and some corporate missteps that bogged down the company for a while, Camping World may have lost some of its reputation as a market buster. However, the company continues forging ahead and, at the same time, defying people who had all but written the company's obituary.

I certainly hope this picture doesn't signal that Camping World is changing tactics from fierce competitor to fearsome bully.

"The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.” 

                -- Jim Rohn