N. Van dealer adopts trend

of ‘no sticker dicker’ policy |

Mountview Jeep Eagle will
no longer barter on prices

A CUSTOMER hugging a
car salesman?

By A.P. McCredie
Automotive Reporter

That’s almost as unlikely as
someone asking you, ‘“‘Hey bud,
can you hold this piano while I tie
my shoes?"

But, according to a North Shore
car dealer that is exactly what
kind of reaction a new selling phi-
losophy is drawing.

Beginning on the Labour Day
weekend, Mountview Jeep Eagle
has followed a handful of North
American dealers’ lead and
adopted a ‘‘no sticker dicker
- policy.

“We want the customer to get
the exact vehicle they want at the
price we advertise it for,’’ says
general manager Ali Bani-Sadr.
“The fact that the posted prices
of the vehicles are non-negotiable
just means that the customer’s on-
ly choices after finding something
in their price range are things like
colors and towing packages.”’

The system works quite simply.

What you see is what you pay.
The price that is on the window
sticker cannot be haggled over,
nor wili the salesperson offer you

its big news, we're 1 year old & already a big success. To
Celebrate our amazing first year, we're throwing a birthday
party on Saturday, October 3rd. And you're invited.

While you're here, check out our exciting line up of 1993
Saturns. North America's best car value just got better.

a “‘special’’ deal.

This may seem like the dealer is
unwilling to give you a bargain,
but according to Bani-Sadr what
it really means is that everybody
pays the same price and that the
dealer nas not inflated the sticker
and set an artificially high price:

Refusing to barter on prices is a
big risk in the automotive sales

44 The traditional
sales techniques
just leave a bad
taste in everyone's
mouth... 9F

—Mountview g.m. Ali Bani-Sadr

industry —. Bani-Sadr said a few
customers have expressed doubts
about the non-haggling rule —
but the owners of Mountview Jeep
Eagle believe that if the largest
corporation in the world is willing
to dance to this tune, they'd be
fools not to join in.

General Motors new car divi-
sion Saturn is using the ‘‘no
sticker dicker’’ philosophy at all
Saturn dealerships.

In other words, the price you
pay for a Saturn in Vancouver is
the exact same as the price you
would pay in Calgary, Winnipeg,
Ottawa, and Quebec City.

“The fact that they are using
this sales philosophy on a new line
of cars, one they’ve invested
billions of dollars in, gives us
some confidence in the tech-
nique,’* says Bani-Sadr.

Another change in the way they
are selling cars is that the
salespeople who work at Mount-
view are now more consultants
than the traditional hard-boiled,
commission-hungry salesperson
we have all seen stalking us in our
drearas.

The sales consultants are stili
paid on a performance scale, but
instead of the salespersons trying
not to budge on the artificially
high price to pocket the excess,
they are paid by the number. of
units they sell.

“The traditional sales tech-
niques just leave a bad taste in
everyone’s mouth — the client,
and the salesperson,’’ remarks
Bani-Sadr. ‘Eventually, 1 think

the majority of dealerships will.

adopt this way of doing
business.’’

The jury is still out on ‘‘no
haggle, no hassle’’, but this North
Shore dealership is quite confident
the verdict will fall in their favor.

Come see for yourself why more
North Shore People buy from Morrey.

NEWS photo Mike Wakefield

MOUNTVIEW JEEP Eagle general manager All Bani-Sadr is bank-
ing on a new sales philosophy — No Haggie, No Hassle — to
keep his dealership competitive in the ever changing automotive

business.

Numerous subtle changes and our ongoing commitment to
toial customer satisfaction keep Saturn out front.
Plus, for 1993, we are pleased to announce the addition of
a station wagon to the Saturn line. Now more than ever,
“Saturn makes sense.

HOF

Be