by CMayne » Mon May 05, 2014 3:04 pm
GM was looking to cut the number of Dealers by as much as 40%. With over 6100 Dealers that means a drop off to less than 4000 Dealers. Even in the BK they were not able to accomplish this tidy little task. Their intent is to have only "LARGE" Dealerships in the "LARGE" metropolitan areas. Some of the State Franchise Laws put a stop to the completion of their task. This scenario was a COMPLETE failure with Saturn ( that NEVER turned a profit) so the obvious thing to do is to try and run the WHOLE company the same way ( what is the definition of stupidity?). Regardless of the franchise laws the ONLY way to complete the task is to "weed out" the smaller Dealers by creating a "stocking demand" and a "purchase demand" (vehicles) that the smaller Dealer can NOT maintain. Include "volume discounts" for the larger Dealers so that the smaller Dealer cannot compete in a "regional" market place nor can they compete "on-line". The loss in discounts and allowances only affords GM to pay for the very programs (RIM/SLP) that are intended to run the smaller Dealer out of business so that GM can reach their initial goal of less than 4000 Dealers.
Large increases in stock demand and drastic cuts in profit margin, IE: Bump the competition and Family pricing menus are a "target come on", targeted strictly for the LARGE Dealers that most small Dealers cannot afford. GM WILL succeed at their goal, strictly through "attrition". The really sad part is they will continue to decline as a US leader in automotive if they don't "decline" all together.