Sales and Marketing

Editorial: The Carless Kids

By Edward Niedermeyer
October 25, 2009 We’ve seen the signs coming for some time: rumors from Japan, declining car sales at home, advertisments selling cars as “the ultimate mobile device.” And the picture that’s beginning to reveal itself is a challenging one for fans of four-wheeled transport. Young people, once a deep well of enthusiasm and sales growth for the car [...]

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Posted in Editorials | Industry | Sales and Marketing | 74 comments

The Carless Generation

By Jim Sutherland
October 24, 2009 There is always going to be a generation gap. The term “generation gap” was coined in the 60s when it became evident that Baby Boomers had developed a whole new set of rules for themselves that put a significant chasm between them and their parents in terms of interests and values. Generation gaps will always [...]

The Carless Generation editorial continued »

Posted in Editorials | Nostalgia | Sales and Marketing | 101 comments

The Truth about the TATA Nano

By Sajeev Mehta
September 27, 2009 Why is a soon-to-be success story gathering dust at TATA dealers across India? Much like the initial growing pains of the Ford Model T, the $2000 Nano currently lies on waiting lists. Given the lopsided supply/demand and construction conflagrations with the government, I reckon enterprising Indians are flipping the Nanos living in parking lot limbo [...]

The Truth about the TATA Nano editorial continued »

Posted in Editorials | Sales and Marketing | 69 comments

Editorial: Honda Crosstour: You Can’t Fix Ugly. Or Can You?

By Robert Farago
September 6, 2009

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Beholders have beheld the new Honda Crosstour and found it not beautiful. Ugly, in fact. Ten years ago, this condem-nation wouldn't have been a problem for the vehicle's manufacturer. At worst, a few aesthetically-offended members of the automotive press would have nibbled the hand that feeds, gently alluding to the vehicle's "challenging" exterior. Otherwise, the illusion that the Honda Crosstour isn't a Gorgon-on-wheels would have been maintained---at least until "disappointing" sales proved the point. Those days are gone. These days, Honda's decision to green light an ugly automobile has unleashed a major PR debacle. Welcome to the Internet, fellas. I did warn you.

Editorial: Honda Crosstour: You Can’t Fix Ugly. Or Can You? editorial continued »

Posted in Editorials | Media | Sales and Marketing | 91 comments

Editorial: How GM Tried to Win Me Over, Part Two

By Darwin Hatheway
August 15, 2009

Like many American car buyers, I place reliability near the top of my "must have" list. Over on GM's FastLane blog, I told GM they'd conquer [some] Toyota and Honda customers when the American automaker's ten-year-old cars offered the same service as ten-year-old Toyotas and Hondas. Truth be told, New GM may not HAVE ten years. So it's no surprise that they tried to wow me with tail fins and technology. When the speeches finally ended in the Proving Ground auditorium, I was invited to sample New GM in the "now." Our PR handlers gave us a quick safety talk (don’t do anything stupid, obey the traffic wardens) and turned us loose.

Editorial: How GM Tried to Win Me Over, Part Two editorial continued »

Posted in Editorials | Features | Sales and Marketing | 65 comments

eBay’s “Auction Insurance Agency” to the Rescue

By Nick Naylor
August 1, 2009

Like tens of millions of American consumers, I shop for my cars online. I do due diligence; working hard to filter-out fraud and minimize the unavoidable unpredictability inherent to such transactions. My methodology is far from perfect---as my recent experience will attest. In fact, my tale of woe provides a real life example of how the biggest online seller---eBay---responds to fraudulent transactions.

eBay’s “Auction Insurance Agency” to the Rescue editorial continued »

Posted in Editorials | Sales and Marketing | 31 comments

Editorial: The Truth About J.D. Power’s Vehicle Launch Index (VLI)

By Michael Karesh
July 24, 2009

Earlier this week, J.D. Power gave the automotive world a new score to ponder: the Vehicle Launch Index (VLI). This addition to the survey giant's quality canon aims to measure how well manufacturers launch new or redesigned models. It's a worthy endeavor; a new model’s success in its first few months often predicts its long-term sales and profitability. But what do these new J.D. Power scores tell us? In the immortal words of Jeff Spicoli: I don’t know.

Editorial: The Truth About J.D. Power’s Vehicle Launch Index (VLI) editorial continued »

Posted in Editorials | Sales and Marketing | 16 comments

Editorial: The Truth About Car Awards

By Edward Niedermeyer
July 1, 2009

In the wake of JD Powers' Initial Quality Survey, several other lesser-known awards are giving OEMs a whole new reason to cobble together a press release touting their top place, improvement or mere presence in one of these meaningless satisfaction surveys. And why not? It's summer, and things (sales, in specific) are slow. And the award fandango is win-win. The awards allow OEMs to ridiculously inflate the importance of their results, while publicizing the research firms that created the awards. Case in point, the Dodge Ram.

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Posted in Car Buying Tips | Editorials | Sales and Marketing | 16 comments

Editorial: The Truth About Cash for Clunkers

By Ken Elias
June 18, 2009

The so-called “Cash for Clunkers” legislation demonstrates everything that’s wrong with a political process playing in the market arena. It’s legislation that will do little to improve car sales. But it will drive traffic to dealers – mostly credit bandits scurrying around trying to buy new cars they can’t really afford.

Editorial: The Truth About Cash for Clunkers editorial continued »

Posted in Editorials | Green | Sales and Marketing | 42 comments

Automotive Web Marketing Sucks, in General

By Martin Schwoerer
May 25, 2009

The Web as we know it is a teenager, but car makers seem to think it's a baby: cute, with much potential, but inscrutable and insomnia-inducing. One could think of numerous, obvious new applications for automotive marketing, but we don't see them in practice. Click on a manufacturer's site to get an instant, confirmed test drive appointment for a car of your ideal configuration? Nope. Can you publicize your satisfaction or disatisfaction with a dealer on a maker's site (similar to what yelp.com is enabling for all kinds of services)? No dice. Indeed, most commercial car stuff on the web is conventional, and boring. But recently I've heard of some Web-based brand-building that is supposed to be better. Here are three examples from the UK.

Automotive Web Marketing Sucks, in General editorial continued »

Posted in Editorials | Sales and Marketing | 16 comments