Austin – October 28, 2026 -- About 84% of outdoor recreation consumers say product price increases would affect their future purchase decisions, up from roughly 74% in 2023, according to Rollick's 2026 Future of Buying Study. The survey drew on 17,764 recent shoppers across 31 RV, marine and powersports brands.
Buying cycles lengthen across RV, marine and powersports
In RV, 45% of shoppers now take four months or longer to complete a purchase, a 12-percentage-point increase since 2023. In marine, 40% take four months or more. In powersports, 51% spend more than one month shopping before buying.
Rollick concludes that brands and dealers need long-term lead nurture strategies to stay engaged through the extended decision period.
Price is the leading reason shoppers did not buy
Pricing was the top reason prospects did not purchase in the previous 12 months. It was cited by 26% of RV respondents, 27% of powersports respondents and 32% of marine respondents.
OEM websites draw 88% to 94% trust as AI enters the research phase
Between 88% and 94% of respondents across segments trust information provided directly by OEMs. Dealer information also remains highly trusted. Shoppers increasingly add third-party resources and owner communities to validate pricing, availability, quality and ownership experiences.
Asked how they would use an AI agent, 61% of respondents want answers to specific product questions. Another 65% want guidance on insurance, financing and cost of ownership.
Online financing demand climbs, but dealerships still close the sale
More than half of respondents in every segment prefer to explore financing online. Desire for online credit approval reached 54% in RV and 62% in both powersports and marine. Shoppers also increasingly prefer to complete research, inventory searches, trade evaluations and quote requests online before visiting a dealership.
The dealership nonetheless remains the preferred place to finalize a purchase and take delivery, which keeps a connected online-to-offline journey essential.
Rollick CEO Bernie Brenner called the study a "strategic roadmap" for OEMs, dealers and industry leaders.