...in Germany. Selling Corsas and Polos for 25% off.
A spokesman for the automotive industry there said:
"...previous efforts to sell cars online and through supermarkets have faltered...people don't want to buy high-value products from a discount grocery store...Germans like to go to the dealership"
In the current climate could it work in UK?
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I wonder whether there'd be a 3-year free warranty...
10.5K Eros - "Opel Corsa 1.0 44 kW/60 PS; 5-Gang; 3-Türer".
Lidl UK are selling car-care stuff this week. Most of it to do with cleaning, so of very limited appeal.
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Didn't Asda try it in the 1980s?
I think part of the problem is that the suppliers ie the motor manufacturers would not want to deal with a supermarket - they are known to be very good negotiators and the terms of trade would be alot less juicy than currently. Just look at what's happened with alot of other goods when the supermarkets started stocking the stuff eg 4pound jeans, cheap TVs and electrical goods...then the main retailers struggled as nobody would pay full price for anything...when they know Tesco/Asda can stock it for under half what they would pay.
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I think this is a good thing. The current new car sales model with dealers in "glass palaces" is unsustainable, and new car list prices are far too high.
Dealers going bust in the UK is causing some manufacturers to have big holes in their networks and it's very difficult for them to sell cars in areas where there isn't an outlet. Supermarkets, with wide coverage, take away this issue.
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Lidl is covering products relating to motor cycling next week:
www.lidl.co.uk/uk/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20090316.inde...7
Normally any products sold by Lidl (and, in fact, Aldi) are of excellent quality and good value for money.
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Sounds like a good idea?
But what happens if you have a problem with it? And servicing?
Or is it ok for the glass palaces to remain to do that part?
Needs bit more thought yet!
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Or is it ok for the glass palaces to remain to do that part?
Nope - units on industrial estates can do servicing.
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Normally any products sold by Lidl (and in fact Aldi) are of excellent quality...
Yet they're going to start selling Polos and Corsas?
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Except I dont see why dealers sites cant be units on industrial sites anyway?
If its the glass palace thats putting off sales it should have been recognised and acted upon?
If its convenience and price of a supermarket thats wanted, then they need a proper tie in with servicing/warranty arrangements.
Just imagine returning the car for a refund (under the soga of course!) to aldi ?
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Just imagine returning the car for a refund (under the soga of course!) to aldi ?
What's the problem here? I've never had a problem returning goods to Lidl and Aldi. Why do people expect them to have poor customer service just because they sell non-premium brand (but high quality) goods at low prices? I've always found their staff, store managers and general customer service to be excellent.
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"What's the problem here? I've never had a problem returning goods to Lidl and Aldi. Why do people expect them to have poor customer service just because they sell non-premium brand (but high quality) goods at low prices? I've always found their staff, store managers and general customer service to be excellent."
I agree, with most of it.
But you return a car because of a noise or a problem that occurs while driving; you are not happy that the car is fit for use and want your money back.
You think they would just open the till and take out the £ 20.000 ?
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You think they would just open the till and take out the £ 20.000 ?
I fully expect that an experienced retailer, known for their customer service, will work that out before starting to sell cars. Having goods returned is not something new to them and they'll put systems in place. What makes you think they wouldn't?
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"What makes you think they wouldn't?"
They would have to determine if fault was correct?
Was it a fault of the customers? Driven off road on a normal road car etc?
Have they anyone able to confirm it?
Have they had an opportunity to remedy it?
Would they have that much money on site? If not would you leave it and wait for a cheque to be sent?
Way too many pratcicalities yet.
Not knocking the idea totally. Its just that the supermarket wants the best bit of the operation, (the sale) whilst leaving the warranty and servicing and remedial work to a n other. In my view thats not the way to grow a business (car im thinking not supermarket).
And just picture the scene, shops full, people queued up and Mr Angry wants his expensive purchase sorting now ! Not the scene a sucessful supermarket wants?
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YB, very much doubt they'd do it out of supermarket sites, through the usual grocery tills. I expect that they'd follow a model such as an online broker, or create their own model.
Either way, we're both just speculating, but I can't imagine they won't have thought about all the issues they raise and would present a workable business model to sell cars. Not to do so would seriously risk their reputation. Just because they sell stuff cheap doesn't mean they sell stuff badly.
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>(but high quality)
I shop at Aldi and lidle from time to time and I dispute that high quality tag. you have to shop there with care, but bargains can be had.
You have to remember, its not a case of going in there and sticking a polo and corsa in your trolley. Nor will you get test drives, glossy brochures, or the joy of hagling with the salesman and his "i have to check with the salemanager" patter.
Its a car you buy at a fixed price - fill out this form, probably no extras allowed, no part exchange, delivered to your door.
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Can't picture VW wearing this in the UK. It's a premium brand here, don't forget, unlike in Germany where it's run-of-the-mill. Can't have a premium brand associated with a "cheapo" retailer, I imagine the marketing folk would have a coronary at the thought of such dilution of the brand.
I'd buy a car from them though, been shopping at Lidl long enough to trust them. It would be little different to buying from a broker I'd imagine, then getting servicing done at a dealer.
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How do you get the car in your trolley and onto the checkout?
Where's the barcode?
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If the service from Lidl or Aldi Autos was as consistently good as it is from their supermarkets, I'd buy there in preference to anywhere else.
I expect complaints and faults would be dealt with in the same upfront manner they deal with problems with their existing stock lines, and it would most likely be up to the manufacturer to provide after-sales support directly - as is the case with the electronics and tools they sell at present.
(The closest to that standard I've experienced is from the Subaru main dealer that used to service my Punto, and our local Skoda dealer - until VAG imposed the glass palace on them. In both cases, the 'showroom' was a portacabin with a yard full of cars in front, the service department was based in a converted haybarn, and both sales and service were as efficient as you could wish for.)
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The silicone spray for 1.99 euros I bought this week from the Lidl (France) motoring-related offers seems pretty good.
I'd buy a car from them - if anything appealed.
My two-year-old Lidl electric blanket has just broken down though - I'm searching desperately for the receipt...
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They always seem to be selling an odd combination of reasonably priced food, fruit and veg and bits and pieces you suspect no-one else wanted.
In my local store recently, they were selling wet-suits across the aisle from chocolate biscuits. Why?
I can't see them buying into cars on the same basis. Apart from anything else they keep overheads to a minimum, and even if you don't have a glass palace you do need a large tract of land.
On the other hand I suppose I might buy a car no-one else wanted if I could get it at a good price!
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>>Where's the barcode?
I think location of the VIN plate is a bit variable - so it could be interesting manoeuvring so that the scanner will reach.
But, it does explain why the check-out aisles are _so_ much wider on the nearest LIDL to us which has been refurbished recently.
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The UK car industry depends on badge conscious idiots to generate most of their profits.
Lidl would of course destroy that..
So I expect them to be a great success: except for said idiots.. (claiming a Mercedes C class is better than a Focus is a classic idiocy).
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>>But, it does explain why the check-out aisles are _so_ much wider on the nearest LIDL to us which has been refurbished recently.
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Now thats an interesting thought.
Our new mega meag "green" B & Q on the A3 at New Malden has very wide aisles that would let a car down them.
There are certainly existing bargains there :-(
ABRU loft ladders ( B&Q branded" ) for £50 down from £70. RRP £130 Web £90 + p & p.
Guess what - I have just recently bought one off Fleabay for £40 + £7 for locking catch plus petrol & time to collect.
Car prices might be very attractive.
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Can't picture VW wearing this in the UK. It's a premium brand here don't forget unlike in Germany where it's run-of-the-mill. Can't have a premium brand associated with a "cheapo" retailer I imagine the marketing folk would have a coronary at the thought of such dilution of the brand.
Sainsbury's then. You'd get Nectar points as well! ;-)
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