Behind the scenes at one of Sweden's largest retailers of camping accessories

The camping industry has exploded in the last two years. Most campers know this by now. The first pandemic summer of 2020 will be remembered by many as the summer when certain camping equipment became difficult to obtain, due to material shortages and a strong increase in interest in camping at home.

We therefore decided to talk to Camping accessories 4Uwhich is one of the country's largest retailers of spare parts and accessories for camping, based in Sundsvall.

Sundsvall, here we come!

We are, as many know, on a motorhome trip in Central Europe, so getting to Sundsvall physically is not easy right now. But thanks to modern technology! To gauge the current situation, we connect to Sundsvall via video link, where Campingtillbehör 4U has just moved to new premises. There we meet site manager Johan Paldanius and his staff.

Johan, what do you think about the development of the camping industry in recent years?

"For us, it's been mostly positive, not least to see that many new campers have been born during the pandemic. If we are to talk about the company, we have noticed a clear increase in customers since the pandemic started. Our mail order sales are going well and we are doing everything we can to meet our customers' needs."

Tell us a bit more about the company. How did it all start?

"Campingtillbehör 4U was started in 2012 in Söråker, just north of Sundsvall, in a small home garage. The business grew quickly with the demand for accessories and spare parts, so the warehouse was moved to Jönköping, and thus the mail order business as well. The customer service remained in Söråker until 2019 when the company got new owners. Shortly thereafter, the office was moved to Sundsvall."

What does it look like today?

"In the spring of 2020, we opened the first physical store in connection with our office and customer service. In 2021, we took over the warehouse ourselves, which was moved to Sundsvall, so now we have both a warehouse store and mail order under the same roof. It feels good that we are responsible for everything we send to our customers, mainly in Sweden and Norway", says Johan.

A thriving and growing industry

While we are talking, the employees are rushing back and forth between the shelves and picking up customer orders to be sent. It is clear that the pulse and well-being is high among the employees. We are allowed to exchange a few words with Sara, who is in the process of packing up a customer order.

Sara, you seem to be busy?

"Yes, it's high season now and everyone wants their order as soon as possible."

Is it a fun job?

"Absolutely, there is something positive about camping and leisure. It's also nice to see the piles shrink too."

What are the difficulties?

"That there are so many items. We need to double check that we are sending the right thing to the right customer. You learn something here every day," says Sara with a smile.

The needle in the haystack

As we get a glimpse of the large warehouse store, and all the shelves swallowing thousands of items, the question arises of how to keep track of everything. It feels like finding a needle in a haystack.

Johan, how do you keep everything organised?

"We have a system of storage locations for all items so each item is in its own place. This allows us to quickly pick and ship the right order. The packing and picking staff have learnt where everything is located."

Customer service in two languages

In the background we hear the phones buzzing in unison. This is where Titti, Camilla and Sophi sit and answer customers' questions. Customers from both Sweden and Norway come here with their questions. We don't want to disturb them unnecessarily, so we put the question to Johan.

What do customers ask for most?

"A common question is which spare part the customer needs and which awning fits their caravan or motorhome. Our customer service employees have direct contact with our suppliers and can quickly find out exactly which part is needed. In addition to the phones, a lot of emails come in every day that also need to be answered," says Johan.

What would you say characterises you as a company?

"In that case, I would say our customer service, which really goes out of its way to answer customers' questions and get the right parts as quickly as possible."

Hot in the camping industry

The caravanning industry is very much alive and kicking, not least on the vehicle side. We speculate on some of the best sellers and new products on the market.

Do you have anything new that is interesting?

"Of course, we are the only one with EasyLevel, which is a completely new, Swedish-developed, digital spirit level with an accompanying app. It makes it easy to see when your motorhome or caravan is level. It makes it easier not to have to run around the vehicle with an analogue spirit level. "

What is the current best seller?

"It's EasyLevel and the MaxxFan ceiling fan, which we believe is the best ceiling fan on the market. Then, of course, customers buy consumables such as tablets for the drain tank and fresh water purification."

What do you think about the future?

"The industry continues to grow and so do we, which is clearly reflected in our turnover. We have also noticed a strong increase in interest among the younger target group, 25-45 years, which is great! One trend that has emerged is to rebuild a van yourself, or 'plåtis' as we say."

One last question, Johan. How would you summarise your role in the camping industry?

"That we should be close to the customer. And that we love camping, of course!", Johan concludes.

With this, we thank Johan and his colleagues for visiting Camping Accessories 4U this time. When we disconnect, we leave the crowd of filled shelves and happy camping enthusiasts. We are thinking of rolling north next summer, so maybe there will be a "real" visit to Sundsvall then ...