Every automobile company struggled in the second quarter (April-June) of 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. India had to enforce lockdown from 24 March to control the COVID-19 transmission. This affected the operations of automobile companies resulting in shutting down of production plants and temporary closure of dealerships. Despite the prevailing circumstances, Mercedes Benz clocked sales of 2948 units in the January-June 2020. The June 2020 sales are showing signs of recovery thanks to the newly launched SUV lineup which accounted for 57 percent of the total sales. Mercedes Benz GLS alone comprised of 22 percent of June 2020 sales.
Martin Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India commented, “We remain cautiously optimistic as we gradually ramp up our sales amidst the prevalent market challenges triggered by the pandemic. We are glad to witness a slow movement from previous months and we expect this trend to gather momentum. However recovery will be slow and we currently expect customer sentiments to revive going forward, though the market conditions would continue to remain challenging. Our focus remains on generating demand and support the customer on their purchase decision with innovative financial solutions like WishBox 2.0.”
Mr Schwenk further added, “Run-out of some of the key BS 4 volume models and also COVID-19 related restrictions lead to sales challenges in H1. However, we will further grow our product portfolio in the next couple of months. The availability of BS6 volume models, the launch of new models combined with an expected revival of customer sentiments should help create demand.”
The digital platform is one of the key driving factors behind German Automaker. Mr Schwenk commented, “Our online sales platforms under the #MercFromHome campaign have been receiving strong customer traction ever since its launch. With more than 8000 leads in Q2, this is an encouraging sign as it underscores an emerging trend in the customers’ mind shift towards digital consumption of luxury cars.”
The current COVID-19 environment is forcing the automobile industry to rework its strategy. Mercedes-Benz is establishing its online presence on a larger scale. The company has been offering a completely new online customer journey experience. It is working closely with its retail partners to offer the best customer services. Customers can visit the online store www.shop.mercedes-benz.co.in (powered by Roadster) to book their car with the home delivery option also available. Mercedes-Benz India is expecting a major part of its total sales to be completely online by 2025. The German luxury automaker was able to generate 8000+ leads through online sales platforms in Q2 .
Indian customers can now purchase new as well as pre-owned Mercedes Benz cars online. Mercedes-Benz customers can buy Merchandise and Accessories in the online store www.shop-mercedes-benz.co.in.
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