dev_chieftain (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dev_chieftain) wrote2012-03-05 02:45 pm
dev_chieftain) wrote2012-03-05 02:45 pm
Entry tags:
Interestingly Scummy Tactic of Car Dealerships #5021
Try to net buyers with fake female sales reps on your website.
I know which dealership I want to do business with now, because of the three who sell the car I want in my area that I was even willing to look at, two employed this tactic.
How can you tell if it's fake?
I suspect it's possible that it's not, but have you ever seen a sales rep for a car dealership that is female? There are none in my area, which contributes heavily to my dislike of the process. When asked if they could personally be available for a test drive with me, both supposedly female agents declined to give me a specific answer. After all, it'd be pretty hard for the lady to be there if she isn't real, wouldn't it?
Why I'm going to try the guys I'm planning to try first instead:
They still don't have any female employees, but their website boldly puts up their staff list and shows me what each rep is good at. I could even specially request one if I wanted, probably. That is much more likely to generate good feelings for ME than having a lie issued from the site first thing in a ploy to try to gain my trust without earning it.
Why I'm offended that they do this:
I bet it works on a lot of women. Women are treated very poorly by sales representatives, especially for car dealerships, because they expect to win by intimidation tactics. The same tactics are used on men, but I've never heard stories from men about being told to "respect" the salesman by said salesman and "listen when he's talking".
I'm sorry if this is boring for anybody else, but since I've often wished people could share advice on how to get a fair shake at this damn car buying business, I figured I'd try to post about anything useful I learned along the way, including getting totally swindled, if it happens. It's easy to say "don't be fooled" and "don't let them push you around" when it's not happening; but I'm as bullheaded as they come, and I've been swindled lots of times. HOW to avoid swindling and the like is definitely the advice I wanted, but lacked, so I'll do my best to relate how I did it, anyway.
So, personal rule number one:
Do not give out phone number to car salesmen. They will call you incessantly, long after you tell them that you have in fact purchased a car. I know this from past experience and others around me. I switched phone numbers to avoid this problem. Car salesmen are like outbound phone centers. They will misuse your personal information forever if they can.
Anyway. I've now checked with three dealerships, one of which I definitely like, one of which I'm okay with, and one of which I have no intention of even visiting, especially after seeing the "female chat online" trick played twice. Urgh. Time to gear up for battle.
I know which dealership I want to do business with now, because of the three who sell the car I want in my area that I was even willing to look at, two employed this tactic.
How can you tell if it's fake?
I suspect it's possible that it's not, but have you ever seen a sales rep for a car dealership that is female? There are none in my area, which contributes heavily to my dislike of the process. When asked if they could personally be available for a test drive with me, both supposedly female agents declined to give me a specific answer. After all, it'd be pretty hard for the lady to be there if she isn't real, wouldn't it?
Why I'm going to try the guys I'm planning to try first instead:
They still don't have any female employees, but their website boldly puts up their staff list and shows me what each rep is good at. I could even specially request one if I wanted, probably. That is much more likely to generate good feelings for ME than having a lie issued from the site first thing in a ploy to try to gain my trust without earning it.
Why I'm offended that they do this:
I bet it works on a lot of women. Women are treated very poorly by sales representatives, especially for car dealerships, because they expect to win by intimidation tactics. The same tactics are used on men, but I've never heard stories from men about being told to "respect" the salesman by said salesman and "listen when he's talking".
I'm sorry if this is boring for anybody else, but since I've often wished people could share advice on how to get a fair shake at this damn car buying business, I figured I'd try to post about anything useful I learned along the way, including getting totally swindled, if it happens. It's easy to say "don't be fooled" and "don't let them push you around" when it's not happening; but I'm as bullheaded as they come, and I've been swindled lots of times. HOW to avoid swindling and the like is definitely the advice I wanted, but lacked, so I'll do my best to relate how I did it, anyway.
So, personal rule number one:
Do not give out phone number to car salesmen. They will call you incessantly, long after you tell them that you have in fact purchased a car. I know this from past experience and others around me. I switched phone numbers to avoid this problem. Car salesmen are like outbound phone centers. They will misuse your personal information forever if they can.
Anyway. I've now checked with three dealerships, one of which I definitely like, one of which I'm okay with, and one of which I have no intention of even visiting, especially after seeing the "female chat online" trick played twice. Urgh. Time to gear up for battle.