S07.E12: A Crash Course in Van Life/Campervans

[Whimsy]

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A van conversion company in Los Angeles is ready to start bring in more people to the lifestyle but not before they fix their process that could make things go south.

Two different sites have two different names for this episode.

Original airdate 2/25/20

[Amarsir]

I haven’t seen anything official. But from the sound of Marcus on Twitter it seems like this might be the series finale. (I know there’s a with-commentary episode for next week which would be an anti-climax but it doesn’t contradict this being the final business.)

[Gregg247]

These people really got on my nerves.  Good for them for starting their business and going All In on it for so long, building a dedicated team, and working as hard as they could.  Unfortunately, things didn't work out.  Marcus came along and told them exactly what went wrong and what they could do to turn things around.  He gave the step-father a full-time job.  He gave the business owners a space in all his Camping World locations, something most businesses would kill for.  Result?  They thumbed their noses at Marcus and decided to do things "their way".

I couldn't believe that they took Marcus' $5000 and couldn't be bothered to put up a banner or anything more than some Xeroxed sheet of paper taped to their sign.  They wouldn't come up with a list of products they would "curate" (I hate that word!) for the Camping World stores because "they weren't getting anything for it"!  At least, in the end, old step-daddy started working at the store (I wonder how long he lasted there).

Many times, Marcus seems to take over a business deal and tries to run over everyone involved.  This time, he truly seemed to be trying to help these people, and none of them cared.

[mojito]

Bizarre episode. I felt uncomfortable right from the start when I saw their "craftsmanship". I'm no carpenter, but I would've expected shelves to be put together with more than brackets (a little professional joinery, perhaps?) and I would expect finishes, not just exposed wood. Their work was embarrassing and these people didn't seem aware of their shortcomings.

I'd be surprised if the step-father was still working in that shop. Was quite impressed with the  name tags at that gathering (blue painter's tape).

Marcus was really being charitable with them, I thought, under the guise of a mutually beneficial arrangement. Really, she didn't want to disclose information to her benefactor, the guy who was saving her ass? After this bit of publicity about the pricing and quality of their workmanship, I doubt her old business would've survived anyway. Of course, that could've been her master plan: she really dreams of writing novels or opening a yoga studio.

[CrazyInAlabama]

That might just mean the finale of the season's new episodes, but I wouldn't be surprised if this was the final episode.     

Everyone in the camper business was out to lunch.    If their prices start at almost $20k for a conversion, there is no way I would tolerate the poor workmanship that they produced if I was a customer.     The step father not even calling the manager about the job for weeks was ridiculous.     I really wonder how long the father lasted at CW?   I really think the parents will end up living in some converted van, and that's the last anyone will see of them.     

The mother and daughter (that was the mother I think) that were going to give Marcus a list of products, and then didn't really irritated me.   The daughter's rotten attitude at the camper van meet up was terrible, and I hope Marcus will realize that she's just like the rest of the family, and not interested in help, or working.  

Edited March 1, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[seacliffsal]

I think what irked me about this episode was that the partners/business owners viewed themselves and van life as being superior to those who buy and use more traditional campers/vans.  Along with this was their idea of "custom" work which looked cheaper than some of the furniture pieces I see in Walmart and other reasonably priced stores.  I think they would have made money with Marcus by being a subset in Camping World, but they just weren't having it.  And, they had some nerve having their employees work without being paid-and the one employee mentioned that he hadn't been paid in three months, but the women had a 'plan.'  Yep, a plan that centered on getting money from Marcus and, when that didn't happen, closing the entire business which meant that people worked for them for extended periods of time without any pay.  

When Marcus showed the comparable Camping World van, I so would have bought that over their custom work as the finishes were nice and it had additional amenities.  I think Marcus dodged big time problems as I think the owners would continue to believe that they had a high level of 'specialness' which could never acknowledge that a business like Camping World would actually have good alternative products from their own version.

[Ucross]

The three women onscreen (the heavy mother/daughter were related I believe, the skinny gal was maybe a GF?) were constantly stroking and petting the younger heavy gal in an uncomfortably intimate way. What on earth is going on in this family situation? Polyamorous? It creeped me out. Marcus was taken for a ride on this one.

[Tonypitt]

Marcus berating then at the event in front of a crowd of people because he didn’t like his sponsorship sign was a “jump the shark” type moment for me. It was like he was looking for a reason for drama and latched onto something silly. His expectations seemed off, and regardless of how poorly they did, yelling at them about it in front of “their people” did no one any good. This episode was a train wreck from start to finish.

[AuntieDiane6]

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The three women onscreen (the heavy mother/daughter were related I believe, the skinny gal was maybe a GF?)

The heavy older woman  (grey hair) is Breane's mother (dark-haired woman).  The other woman is her WIFE. 

[hurrrz]

What a bizarre episode. I get the sub market they tried to capture (as in, not the super pre-fab camper like finishes), but there's a better way to do this. If you really have 15 leads per month - figure out common vehicles and create a modular system for those, so that you can get those done quickly and efficiently. Then, try and adjust those modules to other vehicles that don't fall under the common types. 

It's probably cheaper to work with a cabinet maker and just order those modules from them with finishing done in house. It shouldn't be that hard to make these things. and it shouldn't cost $35k. 

 

As for the app. 1 million potential customers with 400 paid members is OK, but not great. I'd be concerned with growth potential with those numbers.