Buying A Mercedes-Benz Is Set To Get Easier From October 2021 Onwards

• The new retail structure will eliminate the dealer link and will see customers deal directly with the brand.

• The new structure will be effective from October 2021 onwards and will only be applicable on the new car business.

• Mercedes-Benz has also announced that it will launch 15 new models in India in 2021, the most recent being the GLA.

Mercedes-Benz India has announced a new retail structure that will directly benefit customers, and will be in effect from October 2021 onwards, albeit for the new car business only.

With the new sales process, the link between the carmaker and the customer, which in this case is the dealer, will be eliminated. Customers no longer have to depend on limited dealer inventory and will be offered the complete list of models available across the country from the carmakers themselves. This will replace the current structure which is limited to just one process: the dealer purchases cars from the carmaker, and the customer buys a car from the dealer.

This change will also ensure that the pricing and offers remain uniform across the country. In the current process, the offers and incentives vary from dealer to dealer, which might force a wallet-conscious customer to go in for a different model than the one intended. Buying directly from the Mercedes-Benz platform will change that.

Under the current structure, customers could be  persuaded to go in for a different model or a different variant due to the lack of inventory at a dealership. This can trickle down to finer details including specific accessories or cosmetic add-ons. With the new process, customers can avail  all the options available in the brand’s inventory for the whole country. The model with the exact specs will then be shipped over to the dealership of the customer’s choice for collection.

Mercedes-Benz has also focused on making the entire purchase experience smoother. With the customers dealing directly with the carmaker,  they can make the most of the purchase and aftersales benefits offered by Mercedes-Benz. Bookings can also be done via the carmaker’s online platform. Mercedes-Benz is the one of the first to adopt this structure in the luxury car space and others could follow suit if this proves to be successful. Besides, the German carmaker will soldier on with its plans to  launch 15 new models in India in 2021.