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Car Dealer Opening Hours...WTF???

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    #32
    Eoin
    Registered Users Posts: 21,256 ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    AudiChris wrote: »
    I would say it's true in every retail sales environment that you'll get tyre-kickers and window shoppers. I have a friend who works in a guitar shop in town who's having a very frustrating time where people come in and play the guitars, ask the questions and then buy off the internet.

    Anyone gone to check out an iPhone in the O2 stores with no intention to buy??? We've all been customers and we've all been window shoppers in our lives. And we've expected/deserved different levels of attention depending on our situation.

    They are bad examples, because those are products that can easily be gotten much cheaper over the internet, as we're being charged so much extra in Irish shops.

    Personally, I'd be happy enough if they closed for half a day during the week and worked a full day Saturday. I've never been offered to have a car driven to my office to have a look at it, so realistically, I have Saturday morning in which I can view cars - that's just not long enough.


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    #33
    -Chris-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,035 ✭✭✭✭-Chris-


    eoin_s wrote: »
    They are bad examples, because those are products that can easily be gotten much cheaper over the internet, as we're being charged so much extra in Irish shops.

    I was merely trying to address my reference to "tyre kickers". Of course the internet model doesn't work for cars, it's too complex a transaction.
    eoin_s wrote: »
    Personally, I'd be happy enough if they closed for half a day during the week and worked a full day Saturday. I've never been offered to have a car driven to my office to have a look at it, so realistically, I have Saturday morning in which I can view cars - that's just not long enough.

    I actually agree that it would be a good idea to open on Saturday for a full day for all garages, but all dealers need to do it (for the reasons above).

    As a further note, I have a friend that works in a main dealer that's open from 8:30am-7pm every weekday and from 9-5 on Saturday. Deals are rarely done after 5pm on a weekday (and the showroom is generally deserted), noone comes in on Saturday before 11am and no one comes in at 4pm on a Saturday to buy a car either - the facility is there for the customer and it's not taken up.
    People seem content to take a day or two off work every 3 or 4 years to buy a car, when they don't have the kids with them and they have the salesperson's undivided attention.


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    #34
    Eoin
    Registered Users Posts: 21,256 ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    AudiChris wrote: »
    People seem content to take a day or two off work every 3 or 4 years to buy a car, when they don't have the kids with them and they have the salesperson's undivided attention.

    But it could easily be 3 or 4 days by the time you've seen a few different cars, and that's the guts of a week off work. Out of 20 odd days a year, that's a lot of time - and that's if you're not too busy in the first place. I didn't even have to take that much time off viewing houses. I find it hard to believe that Saturday afternoon wouldn't be convenient for a lot of potential buyers, it's certainly the best time for me.


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    #35
    -Chris-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,035 ✭✭✭✭-Chris-


    eoin_s wrote: »
    But it could easily be 3 or 4 days by the time you've seen a few different cars, and that's the guts of a week off work. Out of 20 odd days a year, that's a lot of time - and that's if you're not too busy in the first place. I didn't even have to take that much time off viewing houses. I find it hard to believe that Saturday afternoon wouldn't be convenient for a lot of potential buyers, it's certainly the best time for me.

    I'm not arguing with you Eoin, merely giving you my experience.


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    #36
    JHMEG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,686 ✭✭✭JHMEG


    Chris, I detect a certain amount of back peddling there. I am getting the impression from some of your comments, from tyre-kickers to getting signiatures, that you are only interested in customers who come into the shop with money. A one-dimensional salesman, if you will.

    What you may not notice is that a tyre kicker like myself goes into the shop -- maybe on a Saturday -- has a look at what's on offer, goes off and looks at what is on offer elsewhere. I may come back if you're doing a good deal. If you're not I won't. That's how business works.

    Keeping the shop closed on Saturdays and Sundays to keep the tyre kickers out is the reason why I don't go near places that open at times that suit themselves. I look for the proverbial good deal on my terms.

    Myself and my wife went into McCoy Motors in Lucan at 12:50pm one Saturday:
    Me: Hi, I'd like to have a look at a new Corolla
    Salesman: (points) There's one over there, but we're closing in 10 minutes

    We went over to Merlin Motor City next, who were extremely accomodating in every sense, and bought a car there instead.


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    #37
    -Chris-
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,035 ✭✭✭✭-Chris-


    JHMEG wrote: »
    Chris, I detect a certain amount of back peddling there. I am getting the impression from some of your comments, from tyre-kickers to getting signiatures, that you are only interested in customers who come into the shop with money. A one-dimensional salesman, if you will.

    I don't see the back-pedalling.
    I think that dealers should be open at hours that suit the customer. I've explained why those that stay open when others do not don't always see a return for their effort. OP is happy with my input.

    I'm interested in any customer and am in the job because I enjoy the banter and love cars, but I have a wedding to save for and a finite amount of time in which to make money to pay for it.

    I see no problem with prioritising the customers who are at an advanced stage of the buying process. If I have spare time, I'll have a chat with anyone. If I don't, you'll have to window shop on your own.
    JHMEG wrote: »
    What you may not notice is that a tyre kicker like myself goes into the shop -- maybe on a Saturday -- has a look at what's on offer, goes off and looks at what is on offer elsewhere. I may come back if you're doing a good deal. If you're not I won't. That's how business works.

    Again, no problem with that - you're not tyre kicking, you're researching. I would give you priority over someone who's shopping for next January, and you would be grateful that I didn't leave you waiting in the showroom while I chatted to someone who isn't as interested in buying as you are.
    JHMEG wrote: »
    Keeping the shop closed on Saturdays and Sundays to keep the tyre kickers out is the reason why I don't go near places that open at times that suit themselves. I look for the proverbial good deal on my terms.

    Again, I've covered this above to the OP's satisfaction.
    I don't think it's right, but I know why it happens.
    JHMEG wrote: »
    Myself and my wife went into McCoy Motors in Lucan at 12:50pm one Saturday:
    Me: Hi, I'd like to have a look at a new Corolla
    Salesman: (points) There's one over there, but we're closing in 10 minutes

    We went over to Merlin Motor City next, who were extremely accomodating in every sense, and bought a car there instead.

    Congrats on the new car. I don't want to comment on a specific dealer or their service levels. Merlin won the business by being open, fair play to them.


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    #38
    JHMEG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,686 ✭✭✭JHMEG


    AudiChris wrote: »
    Congrats on the new car. I don't want to comment on a specific dealer or their service levels. Merlin won the business by being open, fair play to them.
    Merlin won the buisness by accomodating us as potential and actual customers. Being open was one of the critical things they did that the others didn't. I've no doubt they've won many sales at the expense of others, simply by being open at times that suit real people.

    Thanks for the congrats, but that was in 2002.


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    #39
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,990 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    I know the place where my father works, main dealer Nass road, tried Sunday opening. They had staff but no customers. Most people don't look for cars on a Sunday, maybe because the dealers aren't open!

    Car dealers could do what most bike shops do, open at the weekend and closed Monday, but as Chris says they'd all need to do that not just one or two.

    I think picking on car dealers for not opening on weekends is OTT, there are way more things that need weekend opening then car dealers.


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    #40
    Eoin
    Registered Users Posts: 21,256 ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    Del2005 wrote: »
    I think picking on car dealers for not opening on weekends is OTT, there are way more things that need weekend opening then car dealers.

    I would say that there are places that should also open on Saturdays along with dealers.

    Again, I wouldn't be too pushed about Sundays, but certainly Saturday afternoons.


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    #41
    JHMEG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,686 ✭✭✭JHMEG


    Del2005 wrote: »
    Most people don't look for cars on a Sunday, maybe because the dealers aren't open!
    +1. Chicken and egg.


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    #42
    Gatster
    Registered Users Posts: 1,415 ✭✭✭Gatster


    Saturday afternoons have always been preferential to me, and when I started looking at cars here, as I said, I was stunned by what I found (having been used to UK hours).

    If dealers actually advertised their extended opening hours, I reckon people would come - the classic chicken and egg is very true here, people don't bother, because they are used to dealers not being open.

    I've had similar experiences toJHMEG the other Saturday I was very interested in viewing a car in Glasnevin, but was in Dundrum heading back on the M50 - phoned the dealer, confirmed it was there to be viewed, and then got told he normally shuts at 2:30, but was leaving in 10 minutes (at 1:50). I hung up.


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