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Smart Shopper Stories from the Sales Frontlines
47862 messages, Last post on Nov 23, 2009 at 7:49 PM
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Replying to: verdugo (Nov 08, 2009 8:17 pm)
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Replying to: driver100 (Nov 09, 2009 6:12 am) Bobst wasn't that kind of guy. He was, as I recall, unfailingly soft-spoken & polite. He disliked unpleasantness & he felt that his particular approach made buying cars relatively painless for both sides. When he walked into a dealership, he knew exactly what he wanted to buy & how much he wanted to pay for it. All he wanted from the sales staff was a simple "yes" or "no" to the price that he offered to pay. If the answer was "no", Bobst would shake hands, wish everyone a good day & leave. He was as far from a bully, cry baby or tantrum thrower as a person could be. He hated rudeness & raised voices. I'm not sure if I agree with his approach, but it could work for someone who dislikes haggling. |
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If the answer was "no", Bobst would shake hands, wish everyone a good day & leave My mistake, I wasn't around at the time of the Great Bobst, so that was my impression. But, I have to agree with him, if you want to do a sale as painlessly as possible, it is a great method. Once again, most people are intelligent enough to know phony MSRP's, why not just get on with the final negotiations. |
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Replying to: mikefm58 (Nov 09, 2009 9:12 am) You haven't heard? He finally ran into a dealer that made a baby seal out of him.  jmonroe
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Replying to: driver100 (Nov 09, 2009 6:12 am) |
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Replying to: driver100 (Nov 09, 2009 8:58 am) The Caravans and the Rams are our best sellers right now and have always been. |
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Replying to: jmonroe (Nov 09, 2009 10:22 am) I hope he's staying healthy because he's a good guy. Like me, he go's back to the beginning fo these forums when they started in 1996 or 1997. I suspect he simply got bored and left like so many others have. Once before, he suddenly surfaced after being gone a long itme but not this long. I think it's been years now. Soimeone tick him off? |
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Replying to: boomchek (Nov 09, 2009 10:31 am) I know there are experts that have worked all this out, the best method to hook a buyer. But, I think things have changed but the car dealers are still selling cars like they did 20 years ago...except now there is the internet which makes it even more important for car dealers to check their selling methods. People don't trust government, politicians, or almost anything any more. So, when a salesperson says the price of that car is MSRP, I think you lose points on being trustworthy in the eyes of the buyer (this is different than saying you are dishonest-it is a perception thing, and trust has to be won very quickly). I know I have left when told the price was full list, or the dealer will knock off just a few hundred dollars. I feel the dealer thinks I am not knowledgeable, or isn't willing to negotiate. We were considering an Audi for my wife and this is what happened at the first dealer: I said we were just doing our preliminary work, so I just needed to know how much the car was. He gave me MSRP and he was very nice and I am sure I could negotiate. I would have gone back to him. Then we went to the 2nd dealer: We went for a test drive and the salesman said the price would be about $4000 less than MSRP - without any dancing. I was impressed and would have bought the car...it was close, but my wife liked another car more. I really liked the fact the 2nd dealer gave me a really good hassle free reduced price. Though I liked the first salesman a little better, I think I would come to a price faster and easier with the second salesman, so that's where I would have bought. By the way, the 2nd salesman was a smoker, and though it isn't a big issue personally, I have noticed that salesman who smoke sometimes can't be found, because they are off on a back lot or someplace trying to get a cigaret in between customers. I haven't got an answer yet, "How Many Cars are Sold at full MSRP?" My guess, when we eliminate the hot sellers and the rare models would be less than 3%.
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Replying to: driver100 (Nov 09, 2009 1:22 pm)
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Replying to: driver100 (Nov 09, 2009 1:22 pm) Especially when there's trades involved and money can be shifted to whichever column to show a full MSRP sale etc. Look at it this way. Are you asking what porice we quote when you first step into the showroom, or when we're sitting down and negotiating on a car you want to buy? If you step in the showroom and ask what's the price of that one - I will quote MSRP. Why would I discount it right off the bat if it might not even be a car you want? Discounting something right away shows that: a: youi're a weak salesperson, you don't know how to build value in a product and the only way you attract customers is by discounting everything. b: you're doing yourself and your brand a disservice as you don't believe your product is worth the sticker price that's on the window. Now once you pick a car and we sit down, and we "build" a car with options you like, I will once again say the price with all the options is $XXXXX. Would you like me to work out payments for you, or a cash price? The rebates differ for either one. You would then ask me to do one or the other. I would go and do that. And then we'd probably start negotiations because you'd say the payments are too high or the price is this or that. But if I show you all the numbers, and work out payments based on MSRP, and you say ok let's do it, why then would I stop you and say ......waaaaaait a minute, not so fast Mr carbuyer, I need to give you a discount first before we sign the papers. It doesn't make sense in any business or industry or any transaction. You might see it as offensive if I don't offer a discount, but you are a very very very tiny minority. Most people will ask for something they want. You don't ask you don't get. For example, do you voluntarily give bums on the street money even if they're not begging for it because it's the nice thing to do?
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