The CBD wave: Retail's big names get on board
Feb 12, 2019 | By Sandra Halliday
Apr 14, 2015
Exploring new formats in retail is not exactly a revolutionary strategy but when it comes to breaking free of category norms, car dealer Rockar should be commended.
Usually located on out-of-town lots, traditional car dealerships are often overlooked and unloved by any but the most-determined of car buyers. In a bid to target a younger and more female customer, Rockar instead used location and a service-driven offer when it opened a 2,000sq ft boutique in Kent shopping centre Bluewater last autumn to sell brand-new Hyundai cars (under the same teams as other dealerships).
Working with brand and retail design agency Dalziel + Pow, Rockar created an in-store experience around car buying, integrating technology and underpinned by retail staff who were ‘auditioned’ rather than interviewed. David Dalziel, group creative director of D+P says the brief was to “demystify the usually intimidating car buying process for younger customers and women”.
The unusual (for a car dealership) shopping centre location, combined with the appeal of something new, has provided Rockar some solid results – outlined at the recent Retail Week Live event. Founder Simon Dixon says:
One final stat – some 40% of final sales are made on the web versus 60% in store, indicating that a large number of customers are content with the in-store service they received and confident enough to make a high value car purchase when at home.
This a big departure for a big-ticket category and a sign that being brave and breaking away from the norm can yield impressive results.
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