Headline FeedsE-Commerce Times Talkback
|
|
See Full StoryEarlier this week, Ford Motor Co. and Microsoft announced a joint venture that will enable Ford to build cars to meet online orders. This cooperation between the two giants exemplifies how e-commerce is bringing the high-technology and manufacturing industries together, but I think it is also a precursor of a soon-to-come revolution that will drastically change the way new cars are sold.
Re: Ford & Microsoft: The Next Logical Step
Posted by: infowrkshops 2002-10-18 17:46:09 In reply to: ECT News
I have just read the article about Ford and Microsoft's joint venture. Amazingly, I told my wife the same things about salesmen that are written in the article. I have worked as a car salesman for the past year, and I feel that the days of the car salesman are numbered. The main reason for the numbered days is low commissions. Most buyers are internet educated. They shop around for the best price which is usually at or below invoice. The invoice prices, x-plan prices, fleet prices and rebates reduce the profit margin in a sale. The reduced profit margin yields a low commission. The minimum commission ranges from $75.00 to $150.00. A salesman must sell twenty cars a month to make $1500 to $3000 per month. Bonuses are added to the commissions when qualifications are met. It is difficult to meet all the qualifications each month. This means that a salesman that sells less than 20 cars per month is looking for a new job on his day off. Most salesmen work 53 hours a week and up. Some work six days.
Re: Ford & Microsoft: The Next Logical Step
Posted by: patrick reid 2001-12-20 00:50:11 In reply to: ECT News
Do you honestly think you would buy a car without test driving it first? What would you do if there were no dealerships and no salesmen to hand you the keys and explain the features and benefits one on one? Do you honestly think that Ford will not price fix their product? Without dealers, there is no way to shop price and keep the price down and honest. That means you will pay one price only.... and quite obviously it will be as high as they want to make it, you'll never know what they really pay for their cars!
