Quote:
Originally Posted by wodin
I'm reminded of a story (fable?) I once heard about Mercedes Benz. It went something like this:
In the late 1940's Mercedes Benz decided to test the US market and shipped several hundred cars to the US. When deciding on a price point they reasoned that Chevrolets and Fords were the best sellers and positioned against that market. Sales were abysmal! They only sold a handful of cars, and were faced with the option of abandoning the stock or shipping it back to Germany. Thinking out of the box, they consulted with an advertising agency on Fifth Avenue, and got this advice.
"Pull out of the market and place the remainder of the stock in storage in the US for a year or two. Then double the price and re-enter the market against Cadillac and Lincoln with the exact same cars." They sold like hotcakes! And Mercedes Benz has been in the luxury car market ever since.
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Well...it's not quite that simple, although I'm sure like all urban myths, there's some truth to that tale. I know, for example, what Benz was selling for when I was living in Germany, back in the 70's, along with the then lower-end Audi (had the Fox), etc. They weren't cheap cars THEN. So, it's not merely the "more is more" American mindset. Nor can we say, "it's only Americans." It's obviously not simple that way, because the Germans are the same damn way, as are the Brits (Jags and Rollers, anyone?).
It's frustrating as hell. I
can spend the dough, but...
why???? I'm just not gonna. It's an absurd way to "invest" your money. Might as well take it out in the yard and burn it.
Hitch