Discussion
Alex Z said:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjq55333xg9o
It’ll be interesting to see if anyone else can succeed with a similar concept.
Unlikely. I've been looking at web based business models since pre-dot com boom and each time someone has said "this is the death of the dealer"It’ll be interesting to see if anyone else can succeed with a similar concept.
Now the internet changes the nature of the interaction with the brands in terms of research, but ultimately when people are buying the second highest value item in their lives (generally) they want physical interaction with the proposed car and dealer...?
vaud said:
Unlikely. I've been looking at web based business models since pre-dot com boom and each time someone has said "this is the death of the dealer"
Now the internet changes the nature of the interaction with the brands in terms of research, but ultimately when people are buying the second highest value item in their lives (generally) they want physical interaction with the proposed car and dealer...?
I agree. A used car is not a book or a packet of pasta. Most people will always want to physically see it, sit in it & drive it before purchase. Now the internet changes the nature of the interaction with the brands in terms of research, but ultimately when people are buying the second highest value item in their lives (generally) they want physical interaction with the proposed car and dealer...?
DSLiverpool said:
The business model isn’t why they failed, they scaled too quickly and Chesterman couldn’t run a bath but is excellent at raising funds for projects.
Did they need to sponsor several premier league clubs?
A better MD and it’d be here now.
I think your probably right, we had several customers who purchased from them and they seemed straight forward to deal with.Did they need to sponsor several premier league clubs?
A better MD and it’d be here now.
DSLiverpool said:
The business model isn’t why they failed, they scaled too quickly and Chesterman couldn’t run a bath but is excellent at raising funds for projects.
Did they need to sponsor several premier league clubs?
A better MD and it’d be here now.
This is quite right IMO. Great idea, first class fundraising, woeful operations. Did they need to sponsor several premier league clubs?
A better MD and it’d be here now.
There are plenty of punters who would happily buy a car online in return for a no quibble 14 day money back guarantee.
Not everyone wants a test drive, or to kick the tyres. And especially not to have to negotiate with the sales bods.
Some fast follower will probably come along and do it right, second time.
ETA someone upthread said that car sales don't scale like a tech business. That's also spot on and one of the key traps that Chesterman, with his tech background, fell into.
Edited by dontlookdown on Wednesday 22 May 07:46
DSLiverpool said:
The business model isn’t why they failed, they scaled too quickly and Chesterman couldn’t run a bath but is excellent at raising funds for projects.
Did they need to sponsor several premier league clubs?
A better MD and it’d be here now.
You are quite right here. They were gambling on Aston Villa going down that season so they had a team in each division but got that wrong too. Did they need to sponsor several premier league clubs?
A better MD and it’d be here now.
I've bought unseen, two motorbikes privately, one dealer.
Whats wrong with a unseen purchase?
Plenty of pics did it for me.
It's very hard to buy a tired knackered full main dealer history car/bike though..
People like superbikefactory etc sell bikes with one/two stamp and it shows.
I know that's bikes but I've found the same with cars..
Whats wrong with a unseen purchase?
Plenty of pics did it for me.
It's very hard to buy a tired knackered full main dealer history car/bike though..
People like superbikefactory etc sell bikes with one/two stamp and it shows.
I know that's bikes but I've found the same with cars..
DSLiverpool said:
The business model isn’t why they failed, they scaled too quickly and Chesterman couldn’t run a bath but is excellent at raising funds for projects.
Did they need to sponsor several premier league clubs?
A better MD and it’d be here now.
I think it is a model that fails in the current regulatory environment. Did they need to sponsor several premier league clubs?
A better MD and it’d be here now.
Lots of people have tried (even Tesco IIRC) saying the online model will displace dealers and 25 years in from significant internet adoption each has failed, and only the search and auction platforms (eBay, autotrader) have succeeded.
Bradgate said:
vaud said:
Unlikely. I've been looking at web based business models since pre-dot com boom and each time someone has said "this is the death of the dealer"
Now the internet changes the nature of the interaction with the brands in terms of research, but ultimately when people are buying the second highest value item in their lives (generally) they want physical interaction with the proposed car and dealer...?
I agree. A used car is not a book or a packet of pasta. Most people will always want to physically see it, sit in it & drive it before purchase. Now the internet changes the nature of the interaction with the brands in terms of research, but ultimately when people are buying the second highest value item in their lives (generally) they want physical interaction with the proposed car and dealer...?
vaud said:
Lots of people have tried (even Tesco IIRC) saying the online model will displace dealers and 25 years in from significant internet adoption each has failed, and only the search and auction platforms (eBay, autotrader) have succeeded.
Although the likes of WBAC and Motorway seem to have had some success on the buying/part-ex side of the transaction - and are wise enough to just sell into the trade rather than having to deal with the general public.Alex Z said:
It feels to me that their popularity shows that there may be enough people who *don’t* like the traditional car buying experience to make a version of Cazoo viable. Being able to see the car is good, but for people buying cars as white goods, then an honest description is better than trawling round multiple dealerships. Then remove all of the haggling and a nagging feeling you are being ripped off…
Isn’t this basically where Cinch are sitting in the market, buy online deliver to door. They of course have the backing of Constellation group that also own BCA, WBAC and Marshall’s.Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff