Do you find yourself shopping for groceries at three or four different stores right now, hoping to save a few cents? I sure do.

Average prices found online show the price of milk in 2021 ranged from $3.56-$3.66 a gallon, and today it is $4-$4.50 a gallon. A loaf of white bread averaged $0.37 per pound in 2021, and today it’s $1.814 per pound. And the most infamous barometer of all — eggs — was $1.40-$1.80 per dozen in 2021 and today averages $2.14-$2.25 per dozen.

What is this telling us? Unfortunately, it’s something the RV industry is well aware of: Customers are budget conscious, and despite some uptick in consumer sentiment, inflation and broader macroeconomic concerns such as the conflict between the U.S. and Iran aren’t going anywhere fast.

Earlier this year, the RV Industry Association changed its shipment forecast to a median of 314,000 in 2026 — down from 342,200 units shipped in 2025. Some experts say this is due to higher financing costs, and also economic uncertainty and inflation putting pressure on household budgets.

The interest in RVing is there — Go RVing projected earlier this year that 37 million Americans planned to RV this summer. Online searches for stays near U.S. national parks was up 35%, and 49% of RVers planned to work remotely from an RV over the summer months. So the desire hasn’t changed — the tricky part is turning interest into sales.

Thankfully, industry professionals are keeping it real as they plan for model year 2027. As the RV PRO staff monitored the information coming in from OEMs detailing what’s new for next year to prep our annual Open House preview section (check it out starting on page 28), we noticed a few patterns: a lot of talk about affordability; focus on and launches of new lightweight options that customers can tow with vehicles they already own; and an emphasis on customers getting more bang for their buck.

“We see some opportunity,” Aliner Sales Director Allan Reeping says. “Consumers are increasingly looking for lightweight, easy to tow and value-oriented budgets that fit today’s vehicles and lifestyles. Whether it’s compact SUVs, hybrids or electric vehicles, buyers want an RV that doesn’t require them to upgrade their tow vehicles.”

Gary Yeoman, national sales manager for Nexus RV, says he sees significant opportunity in the evolving motorized RV market.

“I believe the exit of the gas Class A chassis and the declining demand for diesel Class A coaches gives us a tremendous opportunity to bring those buyers into Super Cs,” Yeoman says. “I expect Super Cs to make up 15% of all motorized sales by the end of the year.”

Recreation By Design’s Sebern Combs, Baypoint brand manager, acknowledges that the RV market remains softer than in recent years but says manufacturers that continue investing in product innovation and customer service will be well positioned as conditions improve.

“The market is off a little, and when that happens, manufacturers have to find unique ways to adjust,” he says. “As long as we continue to hold our course, I know we’ll have another record year in sales.”

That optimism and attention to customers’ needs permeates this year’s Open House preview section, and we hope you enjoy the sneak peek.

As for me, I think it’s high time I start making my own bread and raising some chickens. How about you?

As always, thanks for reading!