What are the channels from car manufacturers to consumers?

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There are currently six main car sales channels:

1. Brand monopoly system. Mainly the “4S” stores that are currently very popular. The channel model can be expressed as manufacturer → specialty store → end user. The brand monopoly system is a channel model introduced and developed in my country from Europe in 1998. It was first established by Buick, Canton, Audi and other brands: mainly based on the "Trinity" ("3S"), including vehicle sales and spare parts supply. , after-sales service) specialty stores and "four-in-one" ("4S", vehicle sales, spare parts supply, after-sales service, information feedback) specialty stores are represented. 4S stores are gradually declining in Europe and the United States, but are still in the ascendant in China. They also have Chinese characteristics: the hardware is very good, and the scale and grade of China's 4S automobile brand stores are second to none in the world, even in the world. The most developed American 4S stores cannot compare with the hardware facilities of Chinese 4S automobile brand stores; however, they are much worse in terms of software construction (this is also in line with our current trend of focusing on sales over service in automobile marketing). There is still a long way to go in terms of the quality of dealers, building and maintaining dealers' own brands, establishing mature sales processes, and providing possible customer-oriented convenience facilities, and urgently needs the attention of dealers.

2. General agent type. The channel model can be expressed as manufacturer → general agent → regional agent → (subordinate agent) → end user. This mode is mainly used for imported cars, such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Rolls-Royce, etc.

3. Franchise type. The channel model can be expressed as manufacturer → franchised dealer → end user. This is due to the fact that automobile manufacturers, such as Fukang, gradually find it difficult to regulate the sales behavior of dealers.

4. Car hypermarkets and car supermarkets. Such as the Beijing Asian Games Village Automobile Trading Market, Chengdu Hongpailou Automobile Trading Market, etc. Strictly speaking, this marketing method cannot be regarded as a separate automobile sales channel, but hypermarkets and automobile supermarkets can also integrate market resources and promote sales (such as , in those days, price-increased cars such as Hiroshi's that were not even available in 4S stores could be obtained in car hypermarkets as long as they were willing to pay).

5. Regional agency. The channel model can be expressed as manufacturer → regional general agent → lower-level agent → end user. This model is basically consistent with the regional agency system of the IT channel. This is the earliest model adopted by the automobile channel. Due to the problem of poor control over dealers, there are currently fewer manufacturers using this model.

6. Other methods. In the Internet era, online sales have attracted more and more attention from consumers. The latest J.D. Power survey report stated that company websites have become an important channel affecting car sales.

Problems existing in automobile sales channels: There is a game phenomenon between manufacturers and channel dealers. Manufacturers believe that dealers are difficult to manage, disobedient, and ask for arbitrary prices. Each of them is arguing for their own different interests. Failure to implement marketing plans and policies has resulted in the distance between manufacturers and final consumers becoming farther and farther, and the ability to grasp customers has declined. For example, the huge gap between the current guide price and the market price is an unspeakable pain in the hearts of manufacturers. If one dealer lowers the price beyond the guideline, he can be punished, but if all dealers lower the price, the manufacturer will have to accept the fact and lower the guide price again. But if the guide price is lowered, the dealer will propose a lower actual selling price (of course, This is what consumers like to see), so again and again, manufacturers are led by the dealers; similarly, conflicts between dealers are also constant. They complain that manufacturers do not understand the market situation, their products cannot quickly adapt to market changes, and their services are poor. , rebates and sales incentives cannot be cashed, the supply cycle is long, price support is not in place, delivery is not timely, channels cannot be treated equally, etc.; What is even more difficult is that it seems difficult to balance online sales and traditional channels.

In short, sales channels have become the most critical center for communication between buyers and sellers, and more and more companies will find that today, with the increasing homogeneity of products, prices, and even advertising, single sales It is very difficult to win the competition based on the independent advantages of products. Sales channels have become the focus of today's enterprises. How to operate sales channels well and play their role is increasingly becoming a magic weapon for manufacturers to defeat the enemy.