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Goodbye to the Car Salesman??
Yahoo Finance published an article several hours ago titled “Say Goodbye to the Car Salesman” – Here’s the entire article.
The article points out how different todays customers are.. “Customers are simply different today. They’ve scoured the Web for up-to-date price information and have probably made a decision even before showing up on a dealer’s lot. The salesman doesn’t have as much to do.”
I often wonder if consumers are really that different when they are in the dealership and its time to make the final purchase? – what do you think?
They go on to quote Alison Spitzer — “The whole process of buying a car has been flipped flop from what it used to be,” said Alison Spitzer, vice president of Spitzer Auto Group in Elyria, Ohio. “Today, customers find the car first, then the dealership.”
Not sure I agree with the process for purchasing a car has changed much but no doubt the shopping process has – though I’m sure this is what Alison was referring to.
“Today, buyers call or walk into a showroom already armed with a car’s invoice price, competing dealer bids and discounts from the manufacturers, and can get updates on their cellphones while standing in the store. They can access online reviews of the salesperson and dealership.”
Yes – but does this really change the process for purchasing the vehicle?
“Large dealership chains like AutoNation Inc. are testing new ways of paying sales people because of shrinking per vehicle profit.”
“John Iacono, co-president of Bram Auto Group, which owns the store, said: he was inspired by the simplicity of Apple Inc.’s retail stores.”Why do we make it so complicated?” Mr. Iacono said. “In the last 100 years, automobiles have gone from near-horse buggies to almost driving themselves. And yet, the way they are sold hasn’t changed.”
How long will it be before before we Say Goodbye to the Car Salesman?? 5 years – 10 years – 20?
Will the change be so drastic that within time, the vehicle purchase will be compared to walking into an Apple store to pick up your new iPhone?
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