Walking on a busy Vancouver city street, you will, if you are observant enough, find that some car models, such as Toyota Camry and Honda Civic, can almost be spotted every other second. On the other hand, when was the last time you ever saw a Lincoln MKS? A Volvo S80? Or a Volkswagen Phaeton?
You might claim that price is the decisive factor because financially, a Toyota or a Honda remarkably cuts your expense in all aspects. You might be partially correct, since few people in today’s world are able to purchase a Ferrari; and that is the reason why Ferraris are sporadic.
Please think again. Several premium brands such as Mercedes, Range Rover and BMW tend not to provide buyers with inexpensive models, but they are still everywhere. Whereas some rare models in the market, Ford Fusion and Buick Regal for examples, are actually less costly.
Right, this is trickier than you thought. But at least it tells you that money is not everything – people are looking beyond the sticker price. So what are consumers really looking for? The answer lays in a particular order: affordability, cost efficiency, word of mouth, and brand recognition.
- Affordability: Money does come as the first issue, and that’s partially why a Ferrari or a Lamborghini is much more likely to catch your attention than a BMW or Porsche – they are not everywhere.
- Cost effeciency: Fewer manufacturers these days over-estimate what their models. Prices are carefully determined in correlation to the overall quality of the vehicle. However, it does not mean that such situations do never exist. Take BMW X6 for example, you pay a premium price for a car that virtually does nothing special. What are you paying for?
- Usefulness: Mercedes G models and S models are at the same level in terms of pricing. But the latter is too much more commonly spotted. As an off-road oriented model, G Class are affordable to S buyers, and the models provide excellent cost efficiency seeing what you get from what you pay for. But not too many folks around will recommend you a G wagon simply because they are not very useful. You don’t usually drive them in urban areas as it is going to be a waste.
- Brand recognition: Volvo S80 and Volkswagen Phaeton are recognized as great cars, ONLY by those people who really know them. An S80 is a combination of superior safety and remarkable quality but they are not too popular. A Phaeton by no means is inferior compared to Mercedes S Class and BMW 7 Series with its blend of high-end technology, appealing interior and massive power. The majority of the population, however, still does not usually give a second look to such cars. It is time for the manufacturers to consider market penetration strategies if ever are willing see a growth in sales.
