Dealership environment survey

[Aussie Ninja]

Hey guys, I'm doing business studies for my degree at the moment and it got me thinking. This is purely for my own curiosity but was wondering what you thought.

Would you prefer the dealership floor to be full of tightly packed bikes (like most are), or to have one or two examples of each model (if they have different colours etc) spaced around the showroom so you can get at them easily to check out and sit on, with the remaining inventory that look the same as what you can see in a storage area?

Thanks for taking the time.

[ZXR750]

Only seeing one of each colour of each model is all that is needed except of cause when they are second hand. You need to see all they have on offer.

[smithy5]

I would want the dealer to only have one bike on the showroom floor, that being the one I want to buy, but how does he know which bike that is ?

The dealer can't make money pleasing one person, he needs to display as many bikes as he can, to please as many people as he can........

Quite simple really, how many people would actually talk with a salesperson if they didn't see what they were looking for amoungst the few bikes on display. More stock on display equals more bikes sold........

[Blurr]

the other question should be......

To those who prefer a exotic style showroom whilst their excess stock is in storage , are these people willing to pay the extra price so said dealer can afford that storerooas above said 'stock sells stock. Space equals overheads that need to be covereend fantasy:.............

[Aussie Ninja]

Good points about not asking if you can't see what you want and the price of storage. If the bikes are second hand then they all need to be on display, but when there are 15 of something in a row? I'd move a few of those off the floor if I could to make a bit of room for customers to walk around. Although you could also make the argument that if the bikes are tightly packed a customer has to ask for help and then the sales guy can take a run at them.

[Wattie]

i've rather have a couple of each, basicly a stocker, and one with all the options. (like car dealers generally do)
the optioned one normally is the demo to make you all excited when you test drive it.

obviously you need to be able to show the colours too so if they came in many colours, maybe need to have colours to show.

bikes generally only come in 2-3 colours, so not too hard.

i do liek to be able to get in around the bike and be able to sit on it (after i have asked of course)

[Gosling1]

I would rather have a bit of room to move, than see 6 identical 250 Ninja's on the shop floor......I mean, its great that they have plenty of stock, but do they *need* to show 6 identical green/black Ninja 250's ???

All second-hand bikes and consigment bikes obviously have to be displayed - generally these are the ones found outside in the weather !!

[mike-s]

I would have to say that Wattie is on the money, show a base, plus a fully optioned model, plus a number of different colour options if viable.
Though selling italian and cruiser type bikes there are eleventy billion different options available on each bike, thusly making it slightly more tricky to do this (though i might add, this was discussed as "bike dealers" as a whole, rather than sports/kawasaki bikes specifically).

[Saki]

I think 1 of each colour, or even perhaps just the colours which sell the most and just get the salesman to make a point of the other colours on offer??

But i agree 15 of the same bike is a bit of a waste of space, so perhaps they should let me hang on to them

[Naked Twin]

If you do a little research into marketing techniques and strategies there is a saying 'shelves need to be stacked" if you are going to sell them. No one wants to buy the last loaf of bread

What sort of analogy is this? Well it comes down to the psychology of buying and the buying triggers, those things that make us buy. If you are buying a Ferrari well hell no you don't want to see 30 cars parked side by side, you want to appreciate the beauty of this machine, having only one or two makes them stand out. But with a Ferrari you are appealing to the high end buyer with few sales. Move down the road to the local Holden or Toyota dealer well then, lower end value cars, the ones the majority buy you have them stacked in the car yard.

With most dealerships they will have one or two cars/ bikes up on a stand or ramp these are normally the flagship, premium vehicle.

It is how retailers differentiate between high end low volume, low cost and low high volume comparatively low cost. Go past any upper end fashion shop and there are only a few items on the floor, Just jeans you can't move in there and you are stuffed if you have a pram.

So to answer your question what we think we want to see actually is very different to what makes us want to buy from that place of business.

Nick