We get this question a lot, and for good reason. When thinking about how and when to sell your rig, there are a lot of variables that need to be considered. So let’s talk van sales, if you’re down.
Understanding the market
The pandemic was a fluke. It was a wild ride for humans, the world, and the van market. We are no longer living in a utopia of van sales. The market has relaxed, and while more and more people are interested in weekend van camping and full time vanlife than ever before, this is not a profit-frenzy market for used rigs. But vans are selling. Expensive vans are selling. Sprinters and Econolines and Skoolies are all selling.
Amount of sales and the price they’re selling at do change by season and location so we work to keep up resources to give our sellers (and buyers) an idea of the current marketplace.
We list sold stats in our weekly emails every week and you can search through hundreds of sold vans on the site to inform your van’s value and give you an idea of when to list.
So what does that mean for sellers?
It means that while demand is still strong (and getting stronger), supply is also strong. As the seller, you have to put in a little elbow grease to market your van. Think eye-grabbing photos. Think interest-piquing titles. Think persistence and flexibility with buyers. Ask yourself, what would the used car salesmen do? And then take a few pointers from them. Selling your rig is not impossible, you just have to put in the effort.
Listing through online marketplaces
We live in a digital world and there are a ton of resources out there for selling your van online. From free marketplaces to Vanlife Trader, you can choose your adventure when it comes to the platform. But since you’re here, let’s talk about what we see performing well on our site.
Great Copy
Get creative with your title. Our site automatically adds in the year make and model. Change it up!
What does your van have that others don’t? Are you offering a killer deal? Do you have a financing partner? Are you willing to pay for flights for pick up? What are you offering that’s better than other sellers?
Photos, photos, photos!
If copy is important, imagery is 10x that. People want to see your rig. They want to see wide shots, they want to see details, they want to see your favorite highlights, they want to see the parts that may need some work. Take high quality photos, and you’ll have a great chance at selling that van.
“We have a stellar content library that we used for the listing. We also spent time changing the title of our listing from time to time.”
Adam, altCamp
Active outreach and flexibility
Even when you pay to list on our site, the buck can’t stop there. Send your listing link to friends, family, acquaintances, heck, print off a QR code and post it around town! Slap a for sale sign in your window and go on a killer last trip. The more your van is in people’s faces, the better.
What I did was listen to what people were looking for. My build was not for everyone because it was built to be extremely flexible. I emphasized that so someone who was looking for a flexible build would consider mine. Also kept good records of the mods and maintenance. It shows that you care for the van.
Dan, private owner
Everyone’s favorite subject: PRICING
This is by far the most important aspect of your listing and ultimately, your sale. For more info, we have a resource on pricing your van and partner with a professional appraiser.
Ask yourself, how long do I have to sell this van?
If your answer is yesterday, offer a great deal. If you’re not in a rush, you have more room to play with the price of your van.
Do your research
Our site is a great resource to see what vans have sold recently. You can filter for vans almost exactly like yours (unless you’re selling one of these). We’ve even seen people reach out to sellers of these sold vans to get feedback on the process. We’re a community of vanlifers and most of us are willing to help out other sellers!
“We looked at other builds on Vanlife trader with comparable specs for the chassis and build out features. We also did get the van appraised. We did have to lower our price twice from our original asking price. From 195K to 160K.”
Michelle, private owner
Don’t expect pandemic profit
We know a lot of professional builders and mom-and-pop shops that are doing good business post-pandemic. They’ve had to tighten up here and there, streamline processes, and get creative with their distinctive offerings, but it’s been for the best! At the same time, we’ve noticed DIYers and private owners are not seeing the huge profits they were seeing in 2020. Doesn’t mean you can’t make back what you put in, just that most likely you’ll see a price that’s reflective of depreciation. You had fun in that rig! Fun takes a toll on camping vehicles but it doesn’t have to take a toll on your finances. Back up your rig with a professional appraisal and impeccable records and you’ll be able to more confidently ask for what you believe the van is worth.
Practice patience
This can be a time consuming process. Campervans are big purchases for people and even if you’re a motivated seller, these things take time. We do see vans sell in 2 days, but the average is 2-3 months, and for higher priced rigs, it can be 6+ months.
We love this industry but we’ve also felt the pain points of selling our used rigs. While the site is ultimately just a marketplace, a platform for our sellers to (creatively!) post what they’ve got to thousands of daily users, the people behind the site want to see you buy and sell your dream van with as little stress as possible. Shoot us your questions, give us your feedback, or just say hi! We’re here for ya.
