Lexus is currently piloting a no-haggle pricing program with twelve dealers in an effort to improve customer satisfaction. The move, which aims to provide greater transparency for consumers, would be a first in the luxury segment — from Wards Auto:
“We’re not going to force this down anybody’s throat, but we think the marketplace is so transparent it seems like a logical step to us,” Bracken tells WardsAuto after his speech. He says if the program goes national not every dealer will be forced to offer it.
No-hassle car-buying already is in place, and has been for years, at Lexus’ sister brand Scion, where it is called Pure Price.
Negotiation-free pricing at Lexus will work like this: A buyer comes into the showroom, pays a price the dealer has selected for the desired vehicle, gets a walkaround of the vehicle’s features and benefits and then works with that same dealership employee throughout the entire transaction.
The 12 participating dealerships were not announced, but are positioned in both small and large markets. The pricing itself will not be set nationally, with dealerships able to make adjustments based on local conditions.
While Lexus hopes all 236 dealerships across the USA will eventually adopt negotiation-free pricing, the program will not be mandatory.
Along with the no-haggle pricing announcement, Bracken also announced two other interesting tidbits:
- Lexus will be providing customers with “a more personalized experience” through a program called The Lexus Difference. No additional details were provided.
- Lexus recently launched a “Ladies Night Out” program where dealers invite female customers into their stores to learn about technology and functionality of their vehicles.
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