The above article has an interesting bit of info in it:
Tesla’s sales could get an even bigger bump, if not for states like North Carolina actively legislating to ban direct-to-consumer sales of the cars on their turf. As the Washington Post points out, it’s illegal in most states to allow customers to order up a car like they would a computer, have it built to their specifications and delivered to their doors. Tesla is currently pushing the state of Texas to allow such a model within its borders, and let consumers buy from the company directly.
North Carolina voted to pass a bill outlawing the direct sale of autos, and others are sure to follow as car dealerships fight to keep themselves relevant. And of course, relevancy here translates to the almighty dollar bill.
Many state politicians rely on backing from car dealerships for political campaigns, making the industry’s lobbying efforts mighty effective thus far. But as consumers continue to demand that retailers cut out the middle man, it could be only a matter of time before your dream car shows up at your doorstep, honking and happy to see you.
Why have the car companies not just gone ahead and pushed forward with direct sale? I mean i remember ordering my 1st computer from gateway, i was able to choose every aspect of the machine personally, with price and performance explained to me as i went. This was 16 years ago. The fact that this experience is not available to people making the life altering decision to buy a car is baffling to me.
Tesla seems to be doing well with it. Mind you, they are a premium niche brand, but the plan seems to be working. What the traditional car companies would need to do is a mix of what Tesla does and some of the groundwork they have already laid. Corporate owned show rooms, supplemented by franchised show rooms (formerly known as dealerships). Instead of being a high pressure hellhole where everyone feels scammed and cheated, they could be corporate controlled business with ethics standards and common practices. Instead of having to move vehicles off that lot that were ordered on spec, they could provide customers with what they actually want. Go for a test drive, check out various options, etc. Hand out codes that are needed to access the website to actually order the vehicles, thus providing franchises and/or individual salesmen the ability to earn commission. It is common sense really. Factories would make only cars for specific clients, increasing efficiency and decreasing waste. I believe sales would increase, as buying a car would not require the chore of dealing with high pressure salesmen.
It would be a better experience for the consumer. It would be a better business model for an industry that needed to be bailed out due to their poor business model. It would only adversely affect the professional car dealer. Commonly known as horrible scum people hate dealing with. So, y'know, no surprise that the various governments are doing whatever they can to protect them.
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