When running a campground your main objective is to make sure your guests have the best time possible while staying at your park. This doesn’t just include making sure the sites are well taken care of but also making sure they have access to everything they need while at your campground. Making sure your campground store is stocked with what they need, as well as items that will elevate their stay is important when making sure they are as happy as possible. So, what should you sell in your campground store? Here are over 50 must-have items you should be selling to your campers.
Before we get into all the items you must have in your campground store, you need to make sure you have a functional POS system that will accept credit card payments and keep track of taxes for easy yearly accounting. When thinking of what POS system you should use, there are a few things you need to think about:
If the WiFi is slow or crashes, is there a way to accept credit cards and process them later?
What the processing fees are.
The ability to operate the robust POS system and the Bonfire Simple Reservation Management Software on the same hardware device is an operational necessity. Not only can they handle inventory management and processing but it also handles reservations, making it easy to keep everything in one place.
Now, let’s dive into the must-have items your campground should sell in its store.
Food
Spending time outdoors can only be made better by delicious food. Cooking while camping is not always the easiest thing, but these recommendations are a great start to keep your campers’ mouths happy and keep it convenient.
We suggest keeping eggs, milk, creamer, and juice on stock at all times. These are the most common items we hear of people running out of while camping. For creamer and juice, opt for those that do not have to be refrigerated to be kept good. They will last longer. Also, people will pay more for local eggs and milk, plus forging a bond with the locals is a great way to encourage word-of-mouth marketing.
We have all heard “Life is short, keep it sweet.” From the young to the old, everyone wants to indulge their sweet tooth, so help them out with that! We suggest keeping candy, both chocolate, and tart, on hand. Also, we recommend offering ice cream single serve bars as well as popsicles during the summer months.
In the winter, make sure to keep hot coffee and hot chocolate made and ready to be served up. Especially if people come to your camp for hiking.
Make sure to offer those foods people associate with camping like s’more kits. Everyone knows making s’mores is a must when you go camping, but many people often forget everything needed for the perfect experience. Make sure your campers have everything they’ll need - marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers, sticks, lighters, and even firewood. This is an opportunity to sell one item or a bundle. Pro Tip: So the campers don’t have to find and use sticks, throw in a few coat hangers they can use. Now you might be thinking there are better metal rods you can buy, which is true. However, the nostalgia coming from having to unravel the hanger mixed with that rustic feeling really adds to the whole experience. You can sell a kit for $10 when it only costs you around $2.
Finally don’t forget about spices people need but ALWAYS forget like salt and pepper. If you are feeling generous, you could also offer local BBQ sauce, ketchup, and mustard.
Essentially, you need to ask yourself what people eat the most when camping. Then, as long as it has a good enough shelf life, keep it stocked and ready to go.
Grilling Essentials
While we are talking about food, we have to talk about grilling. You need to have wood, charcoal, lighter fluid, small propane tanks (used for portable camping grills), hotdogs (we prefer hotdogs as they generally last longer than beef), and foil. If you have charcoal grills, then you don’t need to worry about offering cooking racks, but if most people cook over an open fire, supplying grilling racks for purchase or rent out will keep people from having to run to town to local restaurants if they forgot gear.
The IT Items
It is hard to categorize the next group of items but they are the items everyone uses and always needs. Once you read them, you will understand:
Batteries, foil, saran wrap, bug spray, flashlights, duct-tape, ziplock bags, paper plates, paper towels, toilet paper, ziplock bags, coolers, hair ties (this is a BIG one), shampoo + conditioner (we recommend to only offer the combined ones as it is one less thing to worry about), soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, combs, phone chargers, and finally Sunscreen.
First Aid Needs
Unfortunately, accidents happen, especially while roughing it. Making sure your guests have quick access to any first aid items they need is essential. We recommend Bandaids (of all sizes), Neosporin, aloe vera, hydrogen peroxide, and full first aid kits. Camping is also the time to gather around the fire for a few beers and we all know a few beers can lead to a lot more. So, we also recommend offering ibuprofen.
Rain Gear
It can’t be sunny all day every day, so helping campers stay dry will not only keep you comfortable but also help you save the day. So, ponchos and umbrellas are a must. Bonus points if they are branded. More on this below.
Fishing Supplies
If your campground has a pond or is close to the river, you are probably already offering fishing gear in your store, but we couldn’t leave it off. Small tackle boxes, fishing wire, hooks, bobbers, and even rentable fishing poles should be staples in your store.
Memorabilia
This is where it gets fun. Many campers love to have memories to take home with them and those memories are just another way to get your camp's name out there. We suggest bumper stickers, shirts, mugs, and ponchos as a way to give your guests a way to take something home with them to remember their trip. This will also cement your campground’s name in their head which will just further your word of mouth!
Whatever you choose to sell, just remember to anticipate everything the camper may need with each item. You want to make the experience as memorable and carefree as possible.
If you want to know more about Bonfire's simple to use campground management software and dedicated online booking pages, please reach out to us at howdy@letsbonfire.com. When comparing management software, what should you look for when finding the perfect software for your company? In this blog, we dive into choosing the perfect software for your campground based on size, cost, and more.
Need help marketing your campground without the use of marketplaces? We got your back there too. Check out our blog on marketing RV Parks and campgrounds where we explore everything from paid ads to the use of email marketing.
