Re:SUVs parked on cargo ships reveal scope of U.S. auto mark...
by s1artibartfast on Saturday May 02, 2020 @03:00PM
(#23054041)
Thanks for the thoughtful response, but I don't agree with the reasons you stated. If we don't see a race to the bottom today, why would we see it in the future?
According to this [1], new car dealerships have a profit margin of 1-2% while auto manufacturers have a profit margin of ~10%. Anecdotally, some dealerships have no profit on vehicles, and rely on services contracts to drive profit.
I interpret this to mean that there is significantly more competition between dealerships than auto-manufacturers. If a consumer wants a specific brand, they can choose between dealers and often will travel long distances to get the best price. When a dealer buys a brand, there is a single supplier with global monopoly.
I think the disproportionate share of profit already going to manufacturers also undermines your argument on the trade-off between sales volume and splitting of profit.
According to this [1], new car dealerships have a profit margin of 1-2% while auto manufacturers have a profit margin of ~10%. Anecdotally, some dealerships have no profit on vehicles, and rely on services contracts to drive profit.
I interpret this to mean that there is significantly more competition between dealerships than auto-manufacturers. If a consumer wants a specific brand, they can choose between dealers and often will travel long distances to get the best price. When a dealer buys a brand, there is a single supplier with global monopoly.
I think the disproportionate share of profit already going to manufacturers also undermines your argument on the trade-off between sales volume and splitting of profit.