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原文ChangingChannelsInTheAutomotiveIndustry:TheFutureofAutomotiveMarketingandDistributionWhowillbethewinnersandlosersintherevolutionthatisradicallyreshapingthemarketing,distributionandsellingofautomobiles?Willthevehiclemanufacturersandtheirfranchised-dealernetworksbeabletoovercomeyearsofinertiaandcomplacencytopioneerandexecutenewconceptsthatwillstrengthenandextendthevalueoftheirbrands?Orwillnimbler,moreimaginativeretailersorsoftwarecompaniesgettherefirst?Thetransformationofthebusinessofsellingcarsandtrucksishappeningbeforeoureyesatanincrediblepace--promisingtochangeforeveranindustrythathaslongbeennotedforitshighcosts,poorserviceandextremelyunpleasantsellingprocess.Automanufacturershavecompetedfiercelyamongthemselvestodriveoutcostandmeetconsumerneedsforcheaperandbettercarsandtrucks.Nowthesurvivorsfacenewthreatsfromoutsidetheindustrythatmightthwarttheirrenewedinterestinbuildingstrong,lastingrelationshipswiththeircustomers.Entrepreneurshavedissectedthecost-valueequationandcomeupwithnewretailconcepts.Theirstorieshavebeenpersuasiveenoughtoattracthundredsofmillionsofdollarsinpublicequityinvestmentandpersuadedozensoffiercelyindependentcardealerstosellout.Internettechnologyhasloweredentrybarriersforotherentrepreneurswithnewideasabouthelpingcustomersfind,evaluateandbuynewvehicles.Thesepatternsareconsistentwithrevolutionsinotherconsumerdurablesmarketsthateffectivelytransferredmarketpowerfrommanufacturerstoretailers.Consumersaretheonlyclearwinnersinthisbattle.Whilewearenotsurewhichvehiclemanufacturerswillsurvive,weareconfidentthatwinningwillrequireabetterunderstandingofthelife-cyclevalueequationsofbothcarsandbuyers,andthedevelopmentofinnovativestrategiestocapturethatvalue.FORCESOFCHANGEFromthedaysofHenryFord'sproductionline,theautomobileindustryhasbeenbasedonasupply-pushphilosophy--astrongbiastowardfillingthefactoriestocoverhighfixedcosts.Dealernetworkswerecreatedaslogicalextensionsofthesupply-pushmodel.Thenetworksweredesignedtoholdinventory,leverageprivatecapital(withoutthreateningthemanufacturers'control)andserviceandsupportwhatwasthenalessreliableandmoremaintenance-intensiveproduct.Thosenetworksgenerallywerebuiltaroundentrepreneursfocusedonadefinedgeographicarea,sellingoneoratmosttwobrands.Despiteitslongevity,thetraditionaldealerchannelleavesmanypeopleunhappy.Highcustomeracquisitioncostsmotivatedealerstoconvertstoretraffictosalesusingaggressivetacticsthatextractdifferentialmarginsbasedoncustomers'willingnesstopay.Frequentwell-publicizedrebateshavetaughtbuyerstomistruststickerpricesandnegotiatefromcostup,ratherthanstickerdown.Asaresult,dealersoftenfindthemselvescompetingnotagainstanotherbrand,butagainstasame-makedealeracrosstown.ThisacutecompetitionhasalmostbidawaydealerprofitonthesaleofnewpassengercarsintheUnitedStates(withsomeprofitsstillavailableonsalesoftrucks,sportutilityvehiclesandluxurycars).Shrinkingdealermarginsdonottranslateintohappycustomers:Mostcustomers(approximatelyfouroutoffive)dislikethepurchaseprocess,andmanystillcomeawayfeelingcheatedandmistreated.ThisstrongantipathyislargelyresponsiblefortherapidgrowthofInternet-basedservicesthatofferalternativemeansofgatheringinformationoncars,solicitingpricequotesand,insomecases,conductingtransactions.SURFINGTHENETFORPROFITSObviouslytheInternetisamajorenablerofchangeinautodistribution.ManyofthemostimportantautoindustryinnovatorstodayaredevelopingWeb-basedservices,leadingsometopredictthatthemostimportantautomotivecompanyofthenextcenturywillbeasoftware-basedcompany.RepublicIndustries,forinstance,expectssalestoreach$1billionontheWorldWideWebbytheyear2000.Estimatesvary,butsomestudieshaveshownthatwithsomecars,asmanyas40percentofcustomersgatherinformationfromtheInternet.Asmallerbutgrowingpercentageofcustomersdemonstratewhatiscalledshoppingbehavior,orsolicitingpricequotationsandavailabilityinformationpriortotheactualpurchase.ThedramaticgrowthandpowerofInternettechnologyhavegreatlyreducedthecostofobtaininginformationonfeatures,priceandavailability.Consequently,customersarebetterequippedtoextractwhattheywantfromdealerships.OneofthepioneersofInternetmarketing,Autobytel.comInc.,isworkingtospeedresponsetimefromitsparticipatingdealersbecauseithaslearnedthatastaggeringlyhighproportionofitscustomers--64percent--buywithin24hoursofusingitsservicetogetpriceandavailabilityquotes.TheInternetoffersnewandbetterwaystoperformmanysalesandmarketingfunctionsandmakesitpossibleformanufacturerstohavemoreandrichertwo-waycommunicationsdirectlywithconsumers.Ithasalsoprovided,fortheresttime,thecapabilityforchannelmarketingonanationaloreveninternationalscale,attackingfurtherthevalueofthetraditional,geographicallydependchannel.DEALERSSTILLPARTOFEQUATIONNooneissuggesting,though,thatautodealerswilldisappear.Ironically,changesincarsandtrucksthemselvesaremakingdealersmoreimportant.Consumershavemorechoicesofbrandsandmodelsthaneverbefore.Improveddurabilityandreliabilityandfasterdesigncycleshavenarrowedthedifferencesamongcompetingproductsinthesamecategory.Brandloyaltyincreasinglyderivesnotfromtheproductits