Why Do Car Dealers Have to Shout At Us to Sell Cars?
August 25, 2007
Why is it that car dealers think it’s necessary to yell at us in their radio ads? It seems like every car lot commercial I hear is the same.
“WE ARE LIQUIDATING OUR INVENTORY; EVERY CAR ON THE LOT MUST GO!! BAD CREDIT, NO CREDIT, NO PROBLEM! WE FINANCE EVERYONE!”
I have never gone to a car dealer because I heard them shouting at me on the radio. As a matter of fact I will try to avoid any business that screams about selling me a car.
Ridiculous Commercials
Is it just me or do these car commercials seem ridiculous? Is there any other type of business where they shout at potential customers in their advertising? Seriously, every commercial sounds exactly the same. What do they do, all hire the same guy with a booming voice to yell about liquidations and financing? And how many sales events can one dealership have in a year? If you have “a spectacular sales event” every two weeks, are they really all spectacular or do they become just another excuse to shout about selling cars?
Junk Mail
If the annoying radio commercials weren’t enough to drive me away, the trick junk mail definitely is. An official looking letter that read IRS NOTICE made my heart leap several months ago. When I opened it up to discover that IRS stood for Inventory Reduction Sale at a local car dealer it certainly didn’t make me want to rush over and buy a car.
Different Song, Same Dance
How many times have I heard that car dealers are “slashing prices” to sell as many cars as they can “regardless of loss of profit”? If that were true, wouldn’t their cars be selling for better deals? If you follow up on those ads, you still have to go through the whole salesman’s song and dance of running back to the sales manager to get prices approved and calculation after calculation to see how they can reduce your monthly payments instead of the price of the car.
I’m not arguing that car dealers should sell cars without making a profit, just wishing they’d change their selling tactics. Their current approach must work on some people otherwise they wouldn’t keep doing it but one thing is for sure, it doesn’t work on me.
All posts by Ben Edwards
I hate those checks as well Scott, soooo damn sneaky!
Patrick, I see we share the same distaste for commercials. I can just mute them on TV but my radio doesn’t have a mute button plus I’m busy driving so its more difficult to tune them out.
I also find the commercials annoying. My favorite commercials are the dealerships where the owner stars in them…always something ridiculous…and some times there is even a horse involved!
I agree with you. I hate in your face advertising. And salesmen who follow you around the store. And irritating jingles. And the fact that commercials are always 15 dB louder than the TV program that was just running before the commercial break.
I also agree with both of Scott’s comments.
Wow, the IRS tactic is ridiculous. If not already, there should be a law against this misleading adverstising. I also hate when companies mail you a check and if you cash it, it automatically enrolls you in some program.