WBCCI They just don't get it

[HowieE]

The WBCCI has e mailed the membership advising them that a new web site for ALL RVers is now available, suggestion members join. This site has some 40,000 members made up of all brands and types of RVs

With WBCCI membership continuing to decline why would they suggest joining a none branded site when Airforums currently has over 60,000 Airstream owners many of which are potential WBCCI members.

[khollister]

Yeah, I thought that was pretty crazy myself

[Protagonist]

AirForums might have a WBCCI sub-forum— and a Member Blogs section that probably accomplishes much the same thing as RVillage— but AirForums is also chock full of former WBCCI malcontents who got fed up with the club and don't feel any hesitation about explaining why they left WBCCI.

Which I think is all to the good, by the way. I'm firmly of the opinion that if WBCCI wants to attract new members, one way to do that is to address the complaints of former members.

[PKI]

ASers are quite excited about their lifestyle. The more visibility there is for their excitement the more likely other RVers will adopt the lifestyle and become interested in WBCCI. Maybe? Pat

[DanB]

Originally Posted by HowieE

With WBCCI membership continuing to decline ....

Are you sure about this assumption?

Originally Posted by HowieE

Airforums currently has over 60,000 Airstream owners many of which are potential WBCCI members.

I think your thoughts that Airforums has 60,000 ACTIVE owners is WAY off base.

I would bet the number of unique log-ins to Airforums withe the past three months is substantially less. (less than 1,000)

In general, I bet more Airstream owners know about the existence of the WBCCI than Airforums. The phrase "preaching to the choir" also comes to mind. RVillage expose Non-Airstream owners to the cool trailers owned by WBCCI members.

I believe Facebook is also having an impact on Airforums activity.

Finally, let's just say the WBCCI just doesn't get a warm and fuzzy welcome on Airforums. As a matter of fact, history has shown that neither did Airstream Inc.

[Alphonse]

All about marketing, spreading the message, and promoting the brand. They're on a roll, why not?

I chose not to bite however. I am happy here with all my friends!!

[Tom_T]

We're still waiting for the "ATCCI" as "outcast vintage kin" owners!

Avion Travelcade Club International (ATCCI) cuz we need a bi red umber on our 1960 Avion T20!

Seriously though, & not to burst you AS-fanatics bubble (...too much) - so many of the WBCCI folks we've met out-n-about (not so much on here) have their noses in the air when it comes to vintage kin, when in reality back-in-the-day the Avions were advertised as "Better than an Airstream" & were in fact built better, had more space/width & headroom, & cost a bit more than their contemporary AS kin - to which most restorers of both today will attest (at least while the Cayo's still owner them, before sold to Fleetwood).

We're also a rarer breed than the 1000s of AS.

So with this site having an actual "Vintage Kin" section & welcoming us for FREE - vs. $65 for yet another "club" of questionable value (I put TCT in that class too), I fail to see what they offer!? ....other than

I'm not against some vehicular snobbery as a BMW-CCA & PCA member, but the latter Porsche club is a much better value with an actual award winning top tier monthly publication & far more local, regional/"Zone" & national events - than WBCCI, for it's $46/ yr. - vs. WBCCI's $65!

Happy to be here! Cheers!
Tom (& Jana)
///////

[racoco]

No longer a WBCCI member, I did not get the email. However, RVillage appears to be a way to connect with anyone RVing near you via a map-based app.

While I love my AS's, I enjoy the interaction with other RV owners and don't care what they travel in. Sounds like a site worth exploring.

[3wd67rg]

I'm here to learn more about my Airstream and meet people and say, "hi!". I don't do clique, and I don't do snob. If I thought I could find room in my life for another club, I'd do it. Unless of course the people in that group were snobby, cliquish, racist and homophobic. Ain't nobody got time for that, LOL! Vintage Airstreams were made well, but after reading so many threads here I am no longer certain that today's Airstreams are any better than all the other RVs. Plus, even if Airstreams were better, it doesn't follow that the people inside them always are. *laughing*

[Grosspoluter]

I tend to agree with what Alphonse and Protagonist
I absolutely love this forum
As for the WBCCI... I joined, but Not sure why?
Maybe sometime down the road it will help me out, and it is nice to be a part of a... Dare I say gang? Oh ya and there's those numbers on the units that say "I belong to something"
There is one more thing, I have a classic motor home and there's just not a ton of stuff here on the chassis and although I'd like to say my airstream is special and superior to Some Other Brand... It's not (blasphemy I know)
It's built on the same P30 chassis with a barely adequate front end the same GM 454 and trans as manny of the other brands are, so if WBCCI shows me a group that also might help me why not?
No I didn't join the other sight, like I said 90% of the help I've gotten I got here on this forum. Probably another 8-9% from WBCCI members at the camping get to gathers and 1-2% from dear old Google
Like Alphonse said I'm happy here with my friends...
Even if most of you Pull your Airstrean with a truck in stead of pulling your truck with your Airstream ��

[nvestysly]

Originally Posted by racoco

No longer a WBCCI member, I did not get the email. However, RVillage appears to be a way to connect with anyone RVing near you via a map-based app.

While I love my AS's, I enjoy the interaction with other RV owners and don't care what they travel in. Sounds like a site worth exploring.

There is another thread on Air Forums related to RVillage. The thread below would be a good place (IMO) to continue the discussion specifically related to RVillage questions and answers.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f483/rvillage-new-online-community-125254.html

Air Forums, as useful as it is, is not RVillage and vice-versa. Facebook and other social media also have their place I guess. I'm going over the other thread now and will continue my comments there.

[splyb]

I'm such a newbie, I don't even know what WBCCI is. Nor, for the moment, do I care.

I would be interested in a poll of AirForum participants: "Do you own a motorcycle? If so, is it a Harley?" I'm guessing that of those AS owners that do own a cycle, a disproportionate number of them would be Harleys.

Why? I mean, any long-term, knowledgable cyclist knows that there are lots and lots of big cruisers that are superior to Harleys - and not by just a little bit. The answer, as we all know, is IMAGE. Harleys blend unique, carefully-balanced doses of neo-industrial Americana, rugged good looks, customizability, machismo, genderless sex appeal and other intangibles that other brands just can't match. Vroom-VROOM!!

I think Airstreams are much the same. In the few months that ours has been parked at the top of my drive, I've had occasion to mention it to friends and acquaintances I don't often see. If I say "Lisa dragged an old RV home", they cringe and ask what the heck we're going to do with it. But when I say "It's an Airstream", they light up: "Oh, COOL! Isn' that one of those big silver things that looks like a Twinkie? I LOVE those." Or words to that effect. These people have probably never been near an Airstream let alone in one, but their first, visceral reaction is "COOL!".

As I read through daily posts on this forum, my strong sense is that most AS owners wouldn't have it any other way, though they recognize that some other RV manufacturers, past and present, make "better"coaches. But they can't match the COOL.

I can't disagree with anything TomT says. I'm sure he's spot on. This is just my $0.02 worth.

Jay D

[Foiled Again]

I dropped my WBCCI membership over the olde garde (mis-)management issues... but will rejoin when I retire.

I don't think everything is perfect about the club - but some regional groups are great, and some progress is being made even by the "digging in the heels" members. I've vowed to enjoy the individuals and ignore the fossils.

BTW this year's international is going to set records for attendance. Holding it where it's convenient and affordable - with lots of full hookups - wow, what a concept! If they send the Parking Nazi's to charm school, that will totally tip the scales in the club's favor.

BTW2 I attended Alumalina last fall and had a great time - in spite riding in on a spare tire with pink duct tape holding my umbilical together. I met one or two other people who'd never been to a rally before and went from skittish to WOW in about three heartbeats. I don't know if anyone's saying "it isn't your mom's old WBCCI" yet, but evolution seems to be speeding up. And I didn't run into anyone with either a chip on their shoulder or suffering from low level hypoxia (oxygen starvation to the brain caused by where they'd stuck their heads).

Paula

[Plan-B]

I have been a member of AirForum shy of a year (AS Owner 20 years) and read all new entries daily and probably have close to a little over a hundred post/replies. I have found that the posts, interactions and many posters very helpful with valuable information.

What I find absolutely awful and arcane with regards AirForum is two fold: first, navigating this site reminds me of Microsoft DOS in the 80s. This is by far the least intuitive and clumsy forum/site I have ever participated. Second, AirForum is packed with tons of valuable information, experiences and facts!!! But, doing hyper searchs to find this information is almost useless. Thus the reason there are so many redundant posts. It is not the members or newbie's problem, it's the sites issue. In fact if I want to find information previously posted on AirForum I go and do a goggle search to link me to what I am searching on AirForum . This is not acceptable in today's web sites if you want to remain relevant and competitive.

[NWGetaways]

Greg,

You can read about the long troubled history of vBulletin (the software that runs this site) here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VBulletin

I think the last update to version 3 was about 5 years ago.

[NY24]

"If they send the Parking Nazi's to charm school"....

[HowieE]

Back to my original comment. WBCCI just doesn't get it. Historically the WBCCI has failed in their marketing efforts and this promotion of an off brand web site is a continuance of that failure. My original awareness of an International was the attendance of over 4,000 at the Princeton rally in the 60s. Current attendance is less that 90% of that now. Even the strongest supporter would have to admit that is not a story of growth.

While not all of the members of Airforums are active on a daily basis they are all owners of an Airstream. A membership that large and brand loyal should to a marketing individual defines an orchard to be cherry picked. Even if they might not expect to be welcomed by all with open arms I would think Airfourms would clearly offer a greater return on investment than an much smaller none branded group.

My question was to their marketing decisions.

[Jacob D]

My wife,children and I have traveled with the same vintage A/S for 30 years. My only hobby now is maintaining it myself in retirement, though my age is catching up with me. We did not join WBCCI until about 10 years ago because we just aren't "joiners" except for church. We finally joined to connect with other vintage owners to tap into the vast information they are more than willing to share. Someone said WBCCI members are snobs. There are probably snobs in the club but we have never met one even at international rallies. We now have more Airstream friends than any other group with whom we have associated. Our local unit is full of good folks who willingly help others. We have a fine chaplain who conducts a wonderful Sunday worship service at every rally that is always spiritually uplifting. We support Disaster Relief and our local volunteer fire/rescue unit by sharing the funds we raise with rallies and other projects we enjoy doing together. There are things about WBCCI that I would change if I could, but tradition is a strong pull for many longer term members than us. Diane and I respect the traditions the older members have created even though we don't always agree with them. If you haven't joined, don't criticize. With good reason WBCCI remains the largest single brand RV Club in the world.

[BicenTw]

The suggestion to visit another RV website may be related to the competitive world of online advertising. I recently received an offer on fb to join an RV website specifically designed to provide me with the latest info and tips on the RV experience. When I saw the $30+ introductory price to join I clicked the Do Not Follow button fb offers to stop pesky advertisers. WBCCI may be finding that their active base combined with another RV website offers more advertisers an attractive cost per thousand (cpm) advertising rate. The union does not affect the publishing aspects of either member but having a crossover audience is meaningful to advertisers.

[DanB]

Originally Posted by HowieE

Back to my original comment. WBCCI just doesn't get it. .

- I believe membership is growing.

- The online presence of the WBCCI is the best it has ever been.

- Airstream sales are incredible strong.

- The International Rally is creeping towards the highest attendance in ten years.

- Many caravans are again sold out.

- A high percentage of Unit's are doing amazing things.

- Hell, we even have lot's of positive talk on Airforms.

- Finally, we got Monah in the works.

You're right, "they" (psst, that's you) don't get it!