Re: Audi loses a sale to BMW

[ejfluhr@austin.ibm.com (Fluhr)]

>I understand that people will do this...but I find it rather curious
>anyway. If I were totally ambivalent between two rather different vehicles,
>I guess the sales process could influence me...but, personally, I spend so
>much time researching, weighing options, test driving, etc, I would deal
>with the devil herself to get the car I wanted. Then of course, I'd enjoy
>the negotiations...and given the above described sales attitude, I'm sure
>I'd walk out on the deal...
>...and come back to buy the car I wanted, from a different sales rep.


My friend knows virtually nothing about cars, and does not differentiate
between them based on technical merit.  If it looks good, drives good (and
he drives rather conservatively), and he gets great service and is
treated well, he is sold on it.  Similarly, he wants to be able to walk 
into a dealer lot, find a car he likes, and buy it right there.  That
attitude precludes the use of the fixed-price sellers on the internet.  

The problem with the Audi dealers was the attitude of "here is our price;
if you do not like it, then take a hike, don't try to haggle over it". 
While I can certainly understand the affect of market supply and demand
on pricing, there is no need to be obnoxious about it and upset the
customer.  From what my friend said, both dealerships had lots of A4s
on the lot, so it isn't like the dealer was having a hard time keeping
cars in stock.  He felt it was price gouging, rather than true supply
versus demand issues.

Later,
Eric
'85 CGT, '82 urq
---
Eric J. Fluhr                                Email:  ejfluhr@austin.ibm.com
630FP Logic/Circuit Design                   Phone:  (512) 838-7589
IBM Server Group                             Austin, TX