Is direct-to-consumer sales, which eliminate the dealership from the purchasing process, the futures of car sales? According to the senior vice president of Lynk & Co Alain Visser, the answer is “yes.”
Millennials aren’t interested in setting foot in a dealership said Visser in his presentation to an audience of dealership representatives at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) conference last week in The Big Easy, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Lynk & Co
Lynk & Co
Lynk & Co
Tesla has paved the way for direct-to-consumer sales in the US, battling dealer associations in court for the right to do so. According to Visser, the Chinese-based automobile manufacturer Lynk & Co, also plans to market direct to the consumer when their 01 SUV hits the American marketplace in 2019.
Visser touted Lynk & Co’s subscription model of direct-to-consumer marketing as the future of car sales, in which drivers would replace their vehicle every couple of years in a manner similar to their smart phone,
Under Visser’s vision, customers will have their Lynk & Co vehicle delivered to them after an online transaction. The vehicles would be picked up and returned to the customer when servicing is required, which would likely take place at a nearby Volvo dealership. Much of the mechanicals in use by Lynk & Co are supplied by Volvo, plus Volvo is owned by Geely, so in a sense it’s all in the family.
Whether Millennials consider a purchase made in a dealership a handshake with the Devil remains to be seen. Having options though empowers the customer; dealerships have had the upper hand for far too long.
Lynk & Co has yet to announce its plans for Canada.