This year, we have visited a number of automotive 4S stores around the problem of "lack of cores". In the face of the "merger of the two horses", Changan Mazda, in September after the integration, won the domestic sales of more than 16,000 units. However, in October, Changan Mazda's domestic sales fell slightly, with domestic sales of about 148,000 units in November. Was the "re-start" Changan Mazda also affected by the "lack of core" at the end of the year? What about the shopkeepers?
Just "surrendered" to the "new store", CX-4 is still the main force?
The Mazda 4S store we went to was once a local veteran FAW Mazda dealer. After the "merger", this advantageous storefront was also absorbed by Changan Mazda without accident. Before entering the store, you can see that the store is recently undergoing renovation works. However, the work seems to have started in the store, because the FAW Mazda characters at the front of the store are still there. Of course, all this does not affect our judgment of its identity, because the poster on the wall has been replaced by the Mazda 3 Axela, CX-5, CX-30 and other models.
Entering the store, sure enough, its decoration style has been close to the Changan Mazda 4S store that has previously upgraded its storefront. The "C seat" in the store was occupied by the Mazda CX-30, and of the six show cars on display on the other sides, there were three Mazda CX-4s, two Mazda CX-5s, and one Mazda-3 Axela. Counting the several CX-4 models seen in the parking area before entering the store, is it difficult to believe that this store is still dominated by "old models"? So why didn't you see Artez??
The salesman handed over a business card that also had no time to change the header, explaining our doubts. The Mazda CX-4 and the Artez were "old models" and went into clearance after the "merger". Due to the optimistic clearance of the Artez models in the store, the inventory on hand has been digested. If there are still customers who want to order a car, they can also pick up the goods from the manufacturer, but the terminal discount situation has been reduced to about 18,000 yuan. As for the CX-4, there are currently about ten existing cars in the store, and the preferential margin is also about 18,000 yuan. As for the "fate" of these two cars in the future, Artez is definitely still one of the key points, and the CX-4 is not necessarily a "masterpiece".
So there are not many "new cars", especially the "rarity" of Mazda 3 Onxella, because it has just "surrendered", so the distribution of hot sales vehicles is not enough? The next explanation from the salesman made our idea a bit "little man's heart". The reason is that the Changan Mazda system does not carry out the common "pressure warehouse" method in car companies, that is, after the manufacturer schedules production, it arranges for dealers to "pick up the car" in a certain proportion. Instead, it adopts an "order" model similar to Lexus, supplying models according to the consumer's reservation situation. Of course, for popular models, the time to pick up the car is basically about 1 week, that is, the order can basically be shipped. However, the particularly unpopular models or colors need to be queued according to the production cycle, and the pick-up time is about 1 month.
In the face of the upcoming end of the year, the preferential situation of Mazda 3 Axela is slightly tightened, about 6000-8000 yuan discount range. However, another major model, the Mazda CX-5, has a good terminal discount, or will face next year's revamped CX-5, the current discount margin is about 25,000 yuan. Coupled with the launch of the previous Black Knight version, the cost performance of the product has been raised, and the current popularity in the store is also good.
New car supply has nothing to do with "lack of core"? Product switchover or in-end
Judging from the situation of the field store, the Changan Mazda dealer who has just changed the door is more confident in the supply of hot models such as the Mazda 3 Onxella and the Mazda CX-5. Judging from Mazda's previous statement on the problem of "lack of core", it is mainly due to the greater impact in February and June and July this year. Under Mazda's pursuit of "small and beautiful" and adhering to the strategy of diversified chip procurement, mazda basically did not hear the voice of Mazda being greatly affected by the "lack of core" in the fourth quarter of this year.
Regarding the issue of car source, the main emphasis in the store is the origin of the "order" car purchase model. For Mazda's potential customers, it is obviously worth waiting for a week or so to have a car they bought without worrying about whether the car they bought had a "birthday" in the store. This may also be the reason why Mazda insists on "value marketing". Although consumers in the mainstream joint venture range tend to have a high price sensitivity. But some people still put the "product value" priority in front of the price.
For Mazda, of course, the value is not only in the search for a virtuous supply cycle. For example, the "annoying" and tacit automatic start-stop function, Mazda is still willing to work hard to make this function widely recognized in its own models. Or in the 200,000 yuan model, Artez uses more complex structure and higher cost suction seat ventilation. If it's just to "light up" the menu, there aren't too many low-cost ways. But as long as some customers agree with this pursuit of details that take time to experience, perhaps Mazda can be regarded as a success.
Judging from the results of the store visit, the reason why Mazda's sales volume continued to decline slightly at the end of 2021 has little to do with the chip problem. More often than not, the clearance of "old models" such as artez and CX-4 has basically entered the end, and their contribution to the "broader market" has begun to decline before the product update. Counting the digestion and absorption of channels, perhaps next year we will be able to see the new face of Mazda in China after the "merger".