They didn’t just cut their losses during all the turmoil of 2020…
As we wrap up this year, it’s easy for everyone to say how horrible it’s been. Chief among the reasons is the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdowns, especially in the auto industry. Production lines were shuttered, making new cars unusually rare for a good portion of the year. This created a whole string of problems for consumers and dealerships, ranging from used car price inflation to theft skyrocketing.
Rather than just cut their losses and resign themselves to the forces of the pandemic, some dealerships got creative with their business model. One that was recently profiled in a local report, Nimnicht Buick GMC, detailed out how management decided to supplement their sales with some high-end used luxury vehicles.
Under normal conditions you wouldn’t expect to find a sweet deal on a gently used Bentley, Porsche, or Ferrari at a Buick GMC dealership. That’s what makes this story so interesting and it’s something other dealers have been doing as well.
What they’ve discovered but what some of us already knew was that most people aren’t driving a Ferrari every day. They’re hobby cars, something to use on the weekend and special occasions. That means people shopping for them have other more low-key vehicles at home. If a dealership can supply them with a hobby car, they can also provide a daily driver.
Dealerships which are thriving have been finding ways to expand their market appeal. Instead of going along like business as usual, they’ve acknowledged that nothing is normal about 2020, so they have to play the game differently.
It sounds like the high-end luxury vehicle selection at Nimnicht Buick GMC will be holding steady as we head into 2021. Automakers have been getting back to pre-lockdown production numbers so the 2021 model year should be normal. However, these dealerships seem to be poised to not go back to business as usual.
Source: Jacksonville.com
