Ford CEO Jim Farley has confirmed the brand will move to “non-negotiable pricing” early next year, though he did not provide details.
Mr Farley has previously hinted that the brand may be moving to a fixed-price model, but this new statement appears to be a concrete acknowledgment that it will do so in its home market of the United States.
Even so, Ford Australia has ruled out any plans to introduce such a model locally.
A spokesperson for Ford Australia said: “We have no plans to change our sales model, but we are always looking to give customers more choice in their shopping experience. auto expert.
“For example, we opened online reservations for the Mustang Mach-E a few weeks ago, as a natural part of our digital evolution and as a way for customers to shop with a Ford EV Dealer. authorized by them 24/7.”
In the report comment of Detroit Free PressFord CEO Jim Farley said fixed prices are coming, at least for electric vehicles.
“Non-negotiable prices will be part of improving the customer experience for electric vehicle buyers,” he said.
When asked about Ford’s transition to electric vehicles and its impact on its dealer network, he commented that customers “really want transparency”.
“Early next year, we will set a non-negotiable price,” he added, explaining that “more and more people want to do business remotely.”
The automaker has yet to release any details around the new pricing restructuring and whether it will expand beyond electric vehicles.
The company has confirmed that it will launch a dealer sales model in Europe, starting with the Netherlands.
In its announcement, it cited research done showing that 77% of car buyers prefer fixed prices.
Locally, Honda and Mercedes-Benz offered a fixed-pricing model in which the companies owned their own stock, fixed dealer fees, and sold cars at a fixed price.
