Nissan's Answer To Chinese July Ice Age: Hot Deals!

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Chinese Automakers are worried that the formerly insane growth rates suddenly has reached levels of relative normalcy, what with total vehicle sales in July up only 14.4 percent.

What to do? Quick! Nissan came up with a novel idea:

Slash prices! Nissan China has all reason to be worried. Their July sales rose only 3.7 percent from the same month a year earlier. That’s losing valuable market share, gents.

“In response, Dongfeng Motor Co., a joint venture between Nissan and major Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor Corp., has begun cutting prices, particularly for compact vehicles with an engine displacement of less than 1.6 liters,” reports The Nikkei [sub]

Some Nissan cars can be had for 10 percent less, MSRP.

Nissan’s Chinese subsidiary blames the base effect and that growth has slowed because sales were very strong the prior year. “However,” says the Nikkei by way of slow torture, “General Motors Corp. experienced 22.2 percent growth in July sales in China and Germany’s Volkswagen AG saw sales rise 30 percent there last month.” Also, wait times for an imported Q5 or Q7 are still half a year or more, unless you part with a lot of “gotta have it now” money.

PS: Nissan should also fire their agency. The first thing I learned in China was that in a car commercial, you MUST show a couple with two kids and a dog. Shows that you have made it. That dog can cost you $3000 a year in Beijing, and that second kid – let’s not go there.


Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

More by Bertel Schmitt

Comments
Join the conversation
Next