After a successful start in Germany in October 2019, the Porsche online sales channel has been launched in eight more European countries. Customers in Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, France as well as in Poland, Slovenia and Estonia can buy new and used vehicles from dealers in the respective market via the digital sales channel. UK will follow soon. The stated aim is to create a marketplace for all Porsche products and services.
The dealers in the nine countries offer most of their new and used cars on the platform. These include standard variants of the Porsche models as well as rare derivatives. There are also plans to further expand the platform, claims Porsche, who is dependent on dealers for distribution unlike Tesla. (AutoInformed – Porsche – First Virtual Annual Meeting Declares Risky €676 Million in Dividends. No Earnings Forecast Yet, Porsche Q3 in Black at €437 Million Because of VW, Online Car Buying Trends)
A classic 911 plucked the online way still smells as sweet…
“The sales figures and positive feedback from customers and dealers are proof that we have paved the right way for digital car sales in the future with our online sales strategy. We will be continuing on the same path in 2021 by launching online sales in additional countries,” says Barbara Frenkel, Vice President Sales Region Europe. Depending on the specific market, car sales will take place as much as possible online, right up to the home delivery of cars to customers.
Analysis of countries has identified trends. In Italy, for instance, 40% of all online buyers are new customers for Porsche. Used cars are particularly popular in Italy, making up more than 90% of cars that have been sold on the platform so far. the car is the most widely sold online is the 911. The platform will be further developed depending on the analysis of customer behavior.
Worldwide Expansion
Alongside the Europe rollout and activities in the U.S., customers in China have also been able to access Porsche products online since autumn 2020. They can now search and find used vehicles from Porsche retail partners using WeChat, China’s most popular smartphone app. In addition, some Porsche lifestyle products and driving experiences can be purchased online via the new Porsche flagship store on Tmall, China’s largest B2C online marketplace.
“We have a clear omnichannel strategy – our customers can move freely from the digital marketplace to stationary retail formats,” claims Martin Urschel, Vice President Smart Mobility and Digital Sales at Porsche. “We see enormous potential in e-commerce and intend to further strengthen and expand our worldwide digital business presence in partnership with the Porsche dealership organization.”
The Fiat Chrysler Automobiles e-commerce project has begun (16 December 2020) with the FCA sales network in Italy. The e-Shops form part of an initiative relating to all models from all brands, each taking the relevant name. This has resulted in the Fiat e-Shop, Lancia e-Shop, Alfa Romeo e-Shop, Jeep e-Shop, Abarth e-Shop and Fiat Professional e-Shop. All the models are offered to customers in a modern, innovative way. On the e-Shops, you can choose your own car or commercial vehicle, configure it, then select a specific vehicle. It is anther example of online sales, where a FCA dealership will contact customers to finalize their purchases with very short lead times.