AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rollick, Inc., a leader in outdoor recreation marketing, technology, and market research, today announced the release of its 2026 Future of Buying Study. Based on feedback from 17,764 recent shoppers across 31 RV, marine, and powersports brands, the new study explores how shopping behaviors, technology adoption, affordability concerns, and digital retail expectations have evolved since the company's 2023 Future of Buying Study and continue to reshape the path to purchase.
Among the study's findings are several notable trends impacting the industry today. Most significantly, RV shopping cycles have lengthened, with 45% of shoppers saying they take four months or longer (an increase of 12 percentage points since 2023) to conclude their buying experience. Marine shopping journeys are similarly extended, withâ¯40% taking four months or more, while powersports buyers are also demonstrating longer consideration periods, with 51% spending more than one month shopping before making a purchase. The learnings point to brands and dealers needing to build long-term lead nurture strategies to engage consumers over extended decision-making periods.
Consumers place the highest level of trust in manufacturer websites, with 88% to 94% of respondents across segments saying they trust information provided directly by OEMs. Dealer information also remains highly trusted, but shoppers increasingly supplement both sources with third-party resources and owner communities to validate pricing, availability, quality, and ownership experiences. At the same time, AI is emerging as a meaningful research tool in the buying journey, creating an opportunity for brands to provide trusted, always-available product expertise. When asked how they would use an AI agent, 61% of respondents said they want answers to specific product questions, while 65% want guidance on insurance, financing, and cost of ownership, highlighting a growing demand for AI-powered product specialists that help consumers make informed decisions earlier in the shopping process.
The research also highlights a significant increase in demand for digital shopping experiences. Consumers increasingly prefer completing research, inventory searches, financing research, trade evaluations, and quoting requests online before ever stepping into a dealership. More than half of respondents in every segment also said they prefer to explore financing online, while a desire for online credit approval reachedâ¯54% in RV and 62% in both powersports and marine. Yet despite growing digital expectations, the dealership remains the preferred destination for finalizing purchases and taking delivery, reinforcing the importance of a connected online-to-offline buying journey.
Affordability emerged as one of the most important themes of the study. Pricing was the leading reason prospects did not purchase in the previous 12 months, cited byâ¯26% of RV respondents, 27% of powersports respondents, and 32% of marine respondents. Looking ahead, approximatelyâ¯84% of consumers said product price increases would affect their future purchase decisions, up from approximately 74% in the 2023 study.
"The outdoor recreation marketplace continues to evolve, but one thing remains constant: consumers expect a simpler, more informed buying experience," said Bernie Brenner, CEO of Rollick. "The 2026 Future of Buying Study serves as a strategic roadmap for OEMs, dealers, and industry leaders seeking to understand the next generation of outdoor recreation buyers." To download the 2026 Future of Buying Study White Paper, click here.
About Rollick
Rollick is a technology company that provides software to manufacturers and dealerships inâ¯powersports, RV,â¯marine, and industrial/commercialâ¯industries. Utilized by over 150 OEMs and more than 4,000 dealers, Rollick's SaaS solutions encompass enterprise lead management, digital retailing, post-sale customer experience, and marketing automation. In addition, the company has rapidly built its outdoor recreational vehicle buying marketplace, branded for Sam's Club, U.S. Bank, PerkSpot, major insurance providers, employees at more than 2,000 top U.S. companies, military members, veterans, and first responders. Rollick was founded in 2017 and is based in Austin, TX, backed by several venture investment firms, including Silverton Partners and LiveOak Venture Partners. For more information,â¯visit Rollick.io.
SOURCE Rollick, Inc.
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