Written by /C Jun, Duang
Edited / Kilig
Design / Zoi.
Recently, the "Shanghai-style Mandarin Duck Seal" caused by the epidemic in Shanghai, the circle of friends has been brushed by various crazy magic strips, everyone loves to help at the same time and is rarely humored, can only look at the blessing pain and happiness.
As a small expert in car circle gossip, the domestic car market has recently been as cold as Li Concubine's cold palace, and the package mail area has nothing to eat except for Buick's replacement of the new logo and the official renaming of Yueda Kia Automobile Co., Ltd., which lost Dongfeng.
But in pudong, which has been sealed, a century-old giant with foreign investment has recently seen new developments.
GM, which has been rumored to be likely to test the waters of the direct-operated model, revealed new information about the independent import car business. A few days ago, GM China released a recruitment information through the official micro-blog, "to build a passionate and creative team, and work together to create a new imported car business." "General Motors China President Bai Li opened the BOSS direct hiring model.
At a glance, this reserve talent mainly focuses on the field of marketing services, and does not involve key "channel information". Che Lizi called the public relations department of GM China on the matter of independent direct import of car business, and the other party responded: "It is still under study, and it is not easy to say now." ”
As of the beginning of 2022, most car companies have announced the strategic goals for the 14th Five-Year Plan period, and the strategic main line of overseas brands such as Volkswagen, Toyota, and Mercedes-Benz in the next five to ten years is mainly around new energy, and the Chinese market is the first important market.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, in addition to new energy, china's auto market seems to have no more critical and clear strategic main line.
GM, a century-old store, and as one of the earliest traditional car companies involved in the field of pure electricity and new energy, how can it be missed? In addition, in recent years, SAIC-GM,GM's most important joint venture partner in China, whether it is the brand volume or pure electric layout, the performance cannot be regarded as a stretch, but it can be said that it has nothing to do with excellence.
Rebranding is a more important cure than boosting sales. So, is there a play in betting on high-end niche markets?
The niche high-end market is a dangerous move
As early as a decade ago, GM also carried out imported car business in China, but sales were not optimistic, and in 2011, it was publicly stated that "as far as the Chinese market is concerned, the number of vehicles imported by GM accounts for less than 0.5% of its total domestic production." As sales shrank, GM simply eliminated the imported car business.
But in the past two years, GM China has begun to lay a lot of foreshadowing for restart.
At the third CIIE in 2020, Bai Li, president of GM China, said: "The company will enter a new market segment and seek innovative sales channels. At the fourth EXPO last year, Wei Lefei, vice president of GM's high-end import business in China, threw a hammer again: "The company is actively preparing to build a high-end import business and introduce these models into the Chinese market." ”
At the two World Expo, GM showed a number of high-end models that have not yet appeared in China, including the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray hardtop convertible, GMC Yukon Denali, Cadillac Carey ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe Z71 and Suburban and other full-size large SUVs; and Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Chevrolet pickup model Silverado Boss Trail, GMC Pure Electric Hummer Super Pickup First Edition and much more.
Among them, the new Hummer EV released last year is most likely to become the pioneer of GM's imported cars.
There is no doubt that these models full of power and strong American style are classics, and there must be many fans in China. In order to conform to the trend of change, coupled with EV attributes is beyond reproach, such as tiger wings, but this temperament of the model in the country is absolutely unique, the opponent can not be copied, GM really should dig up the hidden "treasures" at home, so that it shines again in front of the new generation of consumers.
Bai Li revealed that the high-end import business will focus on niche and high-end market segments, including electric vehicles and fuel vehicles, and effectively complement and develop together with existing businesses.
In the past decade, China's auto market has been dominated by first purchases, and brands with thresholds focusing on the range of 100,000-200,000 have flourished, but this is obviously not suitable for the next decade or even longer under the trend of intelligent electric revolution, nor is it suitable for general use.
Starting from 2021, traditional car companies in the 400,000 range began to be caught up by new forces, BBA's brand loyalty and market share was divided by Tesla, although there is a Lincoln dark horse to run out, but the market in the 30-400,000 range has been too crowded, and now Toyota Volkswagen also wants to understand this truth, and turn to focus on the pragmatic home market below 300,000.
So, what's left of the room for GM's traditional giants?
In addition, with the full liberalization of the domestic joint venture share ratio, many foreign brands are working hard to expand their right to speak and achieve more autonomy and possibilities.
Perhaps, choosing a niche high-end market is a risky move, but GM has no choice but to do it.
If the introduction of imported cars is for the high-end of the brand, then the move to establish an independent sales channel is not as simple as it seems.
How about opening this Pandora's Box of Direct Camping?
In recent years, the direct operation/agency direct operation model pioneered by Tesla and carried forward by new car manufacturers has put forward new requirements for traditional car companies that are undergoing electrification transformation.
Many brands follow up, and there are many successful templates.
Belonging to the same American brand, Ford's Lincoln, Mustang, etc. belong to Ford's independent plate, which has greater autonomy and decision-making power than other brands' imported models. Among them, Lincoln has developed rapidly since it opened the import car business in 2014, and has also produced star models such as navigators and aviators in the past two years, and the overall sales volume has approached 100,000 vehicles.
In addition, the new Ford Select high-end intelligent electric vehicle exclusive brand, which began with Ford Music Mach-E, has built an exclusive online and offline sales channel direct sales network, and the Ford Electric Horse brand is accelerating. You say that this allows the "same root" General Motors not to be in a hurry?
But frankly speaking, the road to independent sales is not simple, nor is it easy to go.
Regarding independent sales channels, there are currently two options in front of GM, one is to open experience stores and showrooms in major key cities to attract users like most new forces in China, and the other is to reach a consensus on cooperation with existing dealer channels like the import car business of most joint venture brands.
Needless to say, if you want to communicate better with users, choosing the former is more in line with the needs of the current market electrification development. First of all, the direct sales channels used by most new forces can better enhance user stickiness, so that manufacturers can receive the opinions and suggestions of user owners in a timely manner faster and more timely, after all, it is a process that reduces the middle of a transmission. Secondly, the unified planning of online mini programs and offline experience stores can be directly formulated by manufacturers to avoid the drawbacks of inconsistent prices of dealers. Finally, the quality of service, compared to the traditional 4S store without a unified service specifications, direct sales channels can better improve the quality of service of employees to users, thereby enhancing the brand image of General Motors.
Obviously, GM has established an independent sales channel for the imported car business at this time, which actually paves the way for GM to grasp more initiative in the development of electrification.
However, the disadvantage of the new power-type channel construction is that behind it is the pouring of heavy assets.
From the public data, in the first three quarters of 2021, Xiaopeng Automobile lost as much as 3.58 billion yuan, Weilai Automobile lost 1.87 billion yuan, and Ideal Automobile lost 320 million yuan in 2021. Among them, the expansion of channel construction is also one of the main reasons for the loss of these three car companies. In addition, after-sales protection such as maintenance is not so strong compared with the previous sales connection, which may affect the user experience.
Direct operation is like Pandora's box, Tesla successfully tested the waters, behind which is the pouring of heavy capital, but also a test of the overall system strength of foreign-funded enterprises.
Here may wish to make a bold prediction, independent sales, it can be said that the next GM to go the way, or this borrowing of imported car business in one go to win, or steady and steady, when GM equipped with more and more electric vehicles on the Aoteneng platform, then the independent sales trend, the resistance will be much smaller.
Write at the end
Direct operation and niche are a double test for General Motors.
"By 2025, GM will launch 30 pure electric models around the world, more than 20 of which will be launched for the Chinese market, at which time, GM China's annual electric vehicle production will reach 1 million." This is the official announcement of GM and the opening of the import car business, and it can be said that GM's electrification plan is very clear. The import business is undoubtedly an important part of GM's "brand rejuvenation".
GM selects a niche and high-end personality market, focusing on the brand and profit added value brought by the import car business, so that the Huazi brand is "prosperous". In addition to the challenge of testing the water direct operation, the import car business chooses Hummer EV, in fact, it is easy to bend high and low, if you do not want to fall into the embarrassment of "heavy participation", you must grasp the strategic main line of old users, such as the ancient parallel import car owners...
The rapid rise of new high-end brands such as Tesla, Weilai, Ideal, Gaohe, and Tank has attracted many old users of mainstream high-end brands such as BBA, and the overall brand loyalty of foreign high-end brands is in jeopardy, how to tell a new brand story, the secondary transformation of old users, and attract the attention of a new generation of users is a topic that GM cannot avoid.
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