RV Travel: More Spam From Camping World

Above, The Beast at the Valencia Camping World. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's a bit of a love-hate relationship between RVers and Marcus Lemonis of Camping World and Good Sam Club.

Many shop at Camping World (including me on occasion) and are Good Sam members (I'm a member). Many complain over the prices of goods at Camping World. Yes, some items are overpriced, but Good Sam members do get discounts. Like anywhere else, smart shopping there can lead to good deals. One's mileage may vary.

Camping World's service departments are a mixed bag. Some are good and some are bad. I had a not-so-good experience with the Valencia, California Camping World on a warranty repair. It all depends on each store's management and staff, so you can't paint all of them with a broad brush.

Lemonis has been acquiring RV dealers and stores over the past few years. With Camping World and Good Sam, he has been building quite an empire. And, with that, Good Sam members generally get a lot of spam mail as a result.

Now, he is acquiring another facet of RVing: a campground booking system.

RV Travel reported:

When Marcus Lemonis took the reins controlling the Good Sam Club, it wasn’t long before many members dubbed it the “Good Spam Club.” Lemonis saw the club membership list as ripe for harvesting. It meant club members could expect to receive tons of junk mail. Mail selling everything from gadgets to extended warranty products, all at inflated prices. Get ready for more spam from Camping World.

 

More than “A chicken in every pot”

We’ve seen Camping World’s march for dominance across the U.S. Lemonis’ own stated goal is to have a footprint in every state in the Lower 48. It’s a promise more fulfilled than “a chicken in every pot.” Nearly every week Camping World announces the takeover of what were often formerly family-owned RV dealerships. Not much junk mail there, but wait – there’s a new acquisition that will give Camping World a real way to spam the unsuspecting.

Camping World Holdings Inc. has now taken over, not another RV dealership, but something farther-reaching. A campground “booking engine” called Nomad Reservations has now become part of the CW empire. In essence, it means yet more spam from Camping World.

To read more, go here.