Rural Lifestyle Dealer

1 month ago | rurallifestyledealer.com | Dean DeVore

Growing up in a family dealership I spent much of my time working in the parts department. Like most dealerships, that included ordering, receiving and stocking accessories. Frequently, our sales team would “throw in” an attractive accessory at no charge to close a deal on a unit. The sales department was charged the cost of the accessory, and the parts department received credit at cost. I was glad we sold another unit, but all the work I did with that accessory was done for free.

1 month ago | rurallifestyledealer.com | Kim Schmidt

Rural Lifestyle Dealer editors encounter a variety of articles, social media posts, podcasts and videos that offer a unique look at various aspects of the rural lifestyle market.

2 months ago | rurallifestyledealer.com | Connor Campbell

Like a lot of dealers, the uncertainty of the political climate and the on-going tech shortage are top of mind for Barry Walling, store manager in Jasper, Ala., for TriGreen Equipment, a 28-store John Deere dealership with locations throughout Tennessee and Alabama. Walling discussed the dealership’s role in the community, the technician shortage in North America and its goals for 2025.

2 months ago | rurallifestyledealer.com | Dean DeVore

I like museums. It is fascinating to see history preserved and I appreciate the tireless efforts of the people who do this work. However, in our industry, we are not in the business of protecting history. We are in the business of selling and supporting equipment. What would it look like if your total parts inventory were on display? Would it look like you are supporting a product or running a museum? When we work with a dealer, we usually create a parts inventory profile.

2 months ago | rurallifestyledealer.com | Kim Schmidt

Following a challenging year in 2024, rural lifestyle dealers are maintaining an optimistic outlook for business in the year ahead. According to the 2025 Rural Lifestyle Dealer Business Trends & Outlook report, the majority of dealers are forecasting revenues to be as good or better in 2025 compared to last year. That said, while 2024 revenues didn’t live up the dealers’ forecasts for the year, 84.9% of dealers did report they were profitable in 2024.