Do you have a van lying idle and you want to start a business but lack ideas? If YES, here are 11 best profitable camper van business ideas.
What is a Camper Van?
A camper van sometimes referred to as a camper, or a caravanette, is a self-propelled vehicle that provides both transport and sleeping accommodation. The term mainly describes vans that have been fitted out, often with a coach built body for use as accommodation outside a home.
Camper vans are usually equipped either with a pop-up roof which is raised during camping, or a fixed roof which can be opened to let in air.
Camper vans usually have a small kitchen with a refrigerator, a two-burner gas hob and grill. They generally have dual-voltage lighting which can work from either a dedicated battery (other than the van battery) known as a deep-cycle or leisure battery, or from an AC power, supplied at a campsite via a hook-up cable.
Larger models may include a water heater, space heating and air conditioning, a portable toilet and even an internal shower. Smaller models often carry a portable toilet, and sometimes an external shower which operates within the privacy of an awning. All these features are installed to provide as much comfort as possible while on road trips.
Due to the fact that a lot of people have taken to road trips, camper van businesses are back and flourishing. If you have a camper van somewhere and you are looking for how to put it to good use, we have enumerated some camper van related business ideas that you can look at to consider if they are the right fit for you.
Best Camper Van Business ideas
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Camper Glamping Business
Glamping is a way to connect with your natural surroundings without having to rough it. When you glamp, you can expect incredible views, unique structures, and secluded landscapes, while you relax. If you have a camper van, now would be the time to pretty it up and start a camper glamping business.
Know that in this business, you have to provide your clients luxury in a natural environment for less. To start up, you have to figure out ways to give your clients a glamourous, enjoyable romantic outing as they camp out in the outdoors.
You have to look out for scenic spots and prep these spots up before the arrival of your guests. For any camping or glamping business, it is vital to think about a website which showcases your service with unforgettable branding and stylish photography. This is a recipe for success but isn’t always easy to achieve.
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Camper van rental business
Maybe you already have a camper van that could be making money while you’re not cruising in it yourself, and if you are looking for a business to start in the automobile industry, starting a camper van rental business is an idea that is worth exploring. Camper van rental is an affordable home-based business opportunity.
If you already own a camper, marketing and insurance will be your primary areas of concern. Of course, buying a camper van from scratch will cost more, but there’s potential for plenty of return on your investment. Your ability to put word out there about your business would make your business flourish.
With a camper van rental business, you can typically expect to charge your renters between $100 and $200 per night, depending on the model, the number of nights they are renting the camper van, and the season in which they are renting.
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Camper van conversion business
A camper van conversion business is one where people bring their vans to be converted into a bespoke vehicle complete with comfortable bed, kitchen and seating area. Of course, anyone with a basic knowledge of joinery and plumbing and a pinch of bravado can hash together something that vaguely resembles a camper van.
However, to avoid the kitchen falling out or the fold up bed dismantling at the wrong times, people always look for a reputable company with a bit of history and a good portfolio to handle their camper van conversion.
If you have adequate knowledge in the industry, you can start converting related vehicles into comfortable camper vans for people. Your business must be located in an area that sees a lot of camping activities, so you can have jobs from time to time.
Starting a camper van dealership business can be a great business idea for you if you live in an area in which campers are in demand and there isn’t much supply. This business performs particularly well during early springs/ summer when families love to camp out.
When starting a camper van dealership business, your job duties will be to buy a good priced camper and then either rent it out to or sell it for a good profit. Buying and selling campers will be your main duty in this business. However if you don’t have the capital needed to buy campers, you can decide to start as a selling agent in which you will sell the campers on consignment.
When selling on consignment you don’t own the camper, you are just in charge of selling it. However once you sell the camper, you are entitled to a percentage of the profits. When selling on consignment, be sure to have a contract with the owner of the camper so they are aware of what percentage of the profits go to you once the camper is sold.
When starting a camper business, a good location is one where there is demand for campers and not a lot of competition. Ensure to find such a location if you are to succeed. On the alternative, you can list your business online.
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Camper van pop-up cafe
A camper van pop-up coffee business offers a good cross between a mobile and a permanent coffee shop. It can often be put up in a couple of hours, but is aesthetically more pleasing than just a van as there is likely to be a counter, display areas, a till and a more advanced set-up than a mobile coffee van.
Great for exhibitions, business events where coffee is required for more than a few hours (possibly just a day), a camper van pop-up coffee shop may require a water and power feed. Running off mains power may limit where you can use a pop-up coffee shop, but once up and running you’re likely to get a good throughput.
If you’ve got a really busy event where you’re expecting to make a few hundred coffees, then a pop-up shop with a power and water supply may be best.
If you want to start this business, and you already have a camper van, you should look for where to convert it to a beautiful cafe and then you can start your business. You can just take your van to exhibitions, farmers markets, community events, etc. and just set up your shop. You can decide to provide accompanying treats to maximize profit.
Food trucks have become huge hits not only across America but in the united kingdom too. They serve a practical purpose by allowing you to create delicious food on the road, and they can also look pretty nifty. While the conventional food trucks are huge, but nothing says that you cannot start selling food right out of your camper van.
Yes, campers vans have long been used to sell food especially snacks like pizza and other confectioneries. To start, you have to look out for licenses and permits in your region, then you should think of converting your camper if you have not done so yet. Then you can now start baking and selling your goods in your van.
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Sell camper van conversion kits
The van life craze shows no sign of stopping. Each week, new camper van conversion companies open, and they are also load of people who have taken to converting their vans by themselves. And while both the custom van and the DIY van can accomplish the same goal—camping and adventure—not everyone has the money or time to go those routes.
Luckily, there are now businesses that sell custom made camper van conversion kits. Sometimes these kits are relatively simple, consisting of just a bed and maybe some shelving. Other kits are more involved, with everything you’d need for a fully outfitted rig. You can offer both of them or either of the two.
You should make sure you have a website so customers can also reach you from there. Another way to maximize this business is to help people install these camper van kits in their vans. You can be affiliated to people that do it if you cannot offer the service by yourself.
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Vintage camper van boutique
If you can sell food and coffee off a camper van, then nothing says that you cannot sell clothes out of your camper van. This is indeed a very simple business to start as long as you reside in an area that value vintage clothing.
To start this business, you may not even need to convert your van, you only need to make as much space as possible to contain the clothes, add some racks and take your van to your chosen area. Note that you should be able to publicize your business if you intend to make good sales.
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Camper van bar business
Another business idea that you can start out of your camper van is a bar. This business is much like starting a conventional bar, but a bar that you can move around from place to place. You can take your camper van bar to weddings, engagements, proposals, high teas, birthdays, hens or bucks or any other reason to celebrate, and make such occasions gleeful.
Your van should be outfitted with your drinks, shakers, mixers, glasses and every other thing you need to mix drinks and they should be kept in such a way that they are safe during the commute. Know that including other licenses, you would need a liquor license to start this business, so you have to start planning towards that.
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Print a camper van magazine
Another way to profit from the camper van niche even without owning a van of your own is to start printing a camper van magazine.
This is a magazine that is dedicated to campers and the love of the outdoors. You can feature touring and travel articles, picturesque locations for camping, new gadgets and products, shows and event news, reviews, and feedback with reader content.
To diversify content, you can also publish advice on owning a camper van, from buying a tow car to choosing the right towing mirrors, awnings, gas bottles, and barbecues etc.
If you are not able to publish your magazine offline in hard-copy, you can create and sell it online and encourage campers to subscribe. Another way to go about the business of disseminating information about camper vans is to start a blog where you provide related information on the industry.
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Provide Insurance for camper van rental businesses
Every business needs insurance, more especially a business that involves renting out vehicles to people. Of course, a number of things can go wrong on the average day out and you need to ensure that your van and your business are protected in the event of such eventualities. This is where camper van insurance businesses come in.
If you are an insurance agent, you can choose to start selling camper van insurance. It is a fact that camper van insurance is slightly different from the normal vehicle insurance, so you need to be able to explain this to camper van owners that come in for their insurance quotes.