Consumer Power (or lack of it)

It was actually quite difficult to buy our two new cars.

Like most consumers now do in advance of any major purchase decision, I had done extensive research on the web about the cars I wanted to buy. I knew their features and benefits; I knew how much they cost; I knew their pros and cons and had read numerous reviews.

Based on all of that I made a decision. Once having made that decision all that was necessary was to cut a deal.

I arrived at my chosen dealership seeking to cut such a deal.

It quickly became obvious that the dealership didn't want to sell me the cars in the way I was prepared to buy.

The first problem I encountered was a salesperson who was determined to walk me through all the details of the (first) car. I really didn't want to know. I had researched it all well before hand. Despite my attempts to avert him he remained determined that we couldn't get down to business until he had completed his sales routine around the car. Eventually I gave in and let him say his piece.

"Now", I implored, "can we talk turkey?" "But surely Sir would like to test drive the car first?", was his response. Actually, I didn't want to test drive the car I just wanted to see what the numbers looked like. The salesperson was scandalised. I could see the thought going through his mind - how could I possibly contemplate buying a car if I hadn't test driven it? At that point he seemed to make up his mind - I obviously wasn't serious - and I think that mindset set the agenda for the rest of our interactions.

It actually took me 3 visits to the dealership, and multiple phone calls, before I could come close to getting a deal done. Every time there seemed to be a new problem. For example, I wanted to buy two different makes of car. Both are retailed from the same dealership and this is why I chose the dealership, and persisted with them in the face of the difficulties I had getting the deal done. But clearly the business was not set up to accommodate someone who was trying to cross the brand divide. No one seemed to have an oversight function.

Eventually, in discussion we both (the dealership and I) got our differences on the table:

• They wanted people to be emotionally committed to a vehicle (for obvious reasons) prior to purchase;
• They wanted the prospective purchasers in the dealership, face-to-face with a salesperson to crunch a deal;
• They wanted to keep the sale of the two cars separate, in separate parts of the dealership;
• They wanted an opportunity to up sell and to cross-sell financial services and so on;
• They actually admitted, "We have a way of selling and we've found we are pretty comfortable sticking to it".
• I wanted a 'deal' based on the fact that I was prepared to buy two cars;
• I wanted their best set of numbers committed in writing;
• My preferred way of dealing was by email rather than wasting time going into the dealership;
• Mine was a rational purchase not an emotional one;
• I knew what I wanted and didn't want anything else or any extras.
• I felt harassed by their constant phone calls attempting to 'sell me' on something else.

We got there in the end but it could have been quicker, easier and happier for both of us. It wasn't a pleasurable experience.

They have fallen into the trap that so many businesses do these days. They want to force customers to deal with them on their terms, rather than being flexible enough to deal with customers in any way the customer chooses.

Consumers want choice. Not just in the products and services they buy but also in the way they buy them.