One Step Ahead: Volvo To Sell Cars Online
To match-up with the current trends, Volvo Car Corp said that it will soon start selling its vehicles online. With this new market strategy, the automaker looks to tap the sales of German auto giants especially BMW.
The Swedish carmaker will gradually introduce the online sales and to enhance its presence in auto industry, the company will now spend more on digital marketing. Volvo sales Chief Alain Visser said, "The plan is to have all our car lines in all our markets offered digitally,"
Prior to Volvo’s stint, U.S electric carmaker Tesla also tried to retail its vehicles online which leads to conflict and effective exclusion from some parts of the United States. But Volvo keeping its toes close to ground has assured its 2,000 global dealerships that the online sales will be through dealer network only.
Visser added, "If you say the word e-commerce, initially dealers get nervous. We don't see a car distribution network without dealers in the foreseeable future. He further said, vehicles sold online "will still pass through the dealer network" for delivery.
Recently, with the XC90, the first vehicle developed under Zhejiang Geely Holding Group ownership, the company witnessed sales growth in 2014.
"We're a different brand with limited financial means," Visser said. "We don't believe in building these big palaces."
Moreover, Volvo Cars has also confirmed that it will launch its first 3-cylinder petrol engine soon and testing of the engine has already started. The lightweight 3-cylinder petrol engine will be wholly developed in Sweden and will join the Drive-E family in the company’s strategy of downsizing engines, along with the class-leading 4-cylinder range.