Twitter exchange ongoing with @mrlevine

[HPNQ420]

Edit, link to tweet:

Sponsored

 

[The_Phew]

Something has to give. Ford will either have to break their promise of delivering all reservations before building any dealer stock, or they will have to make some 'special exceptions' to their new allocation weighting formula. Because under the new allocation formula, some reservation holders at Granger et al won't be getting their Bronco until humans are living on Mars.

 

[JAM]

I sent tweets to Levine and Farley about the allocation hurting my dealer but no reply yet.

 

[goatman]

Hmm......what happened to the below invoice pricing from dealerships with the thought that the dealership would get all the allocation of all the orders over other dealerships that didn't do below invoice pricing? I remember a conversation here about that when I commented that maybe under invoice pricing wasn't so good for a dealership, and I was pounced on by folks saying the dealership would get all that allocation. Having worked for dealerships for 29 years, and Ford for 15 years, I disagreed. I commented that allocations will always weigh heavily on overall (not just Bronco) sales volume, which has been shown to be the case. Looking at the price list that just came out, there isn't a huge margin between MSRP and invoice, so we're talking about 2500 bucks ish. I'd gladly pay the 2500 bucks to get my Bronco. Yes, this is kind of off topic, and yes, a bit of I told you so, but hey, this is an internet forum, and we throw stuff out there to talk about it and get reactions.

 

[BlueBronco]

Ford is not going to go walk back the MY22 allocation formula now that is has been communicated to dealerships. The days of thinking reservation orders are going to be built purely in timestamp order are dead and are not coming back. Instead we need to find solutions within Fords new system.

It would go along way if Ford would guarantee that all 2020 reservations be built in 2022. Simplest solution I can come up with is to hold back about 5% of the total MY22 production forecast and distribute that to dealers in an effort to clear out their 2020 reservation backlog.

Feel free to tweet that to Mike and if anybody else has any other solutions I would like to hear them.

 

[telenerd]

Ford now has fine print in their 22 order bank opening that owners will put down a deposit and agree on purchase price before dealer can hit submit on order. Not sure why the forums aren’t on fire about that statement. Only took a bunch of tricks from dealers and stories reaching headline news to have Ford make a request for dealers to follow before ordering.

 

[Rebel Bronc]

A response to Ford regarding Bronco allocations needs to include “and the horse you rode in on.”

where are the virtuous capitalists?

 

[De Brus]

Hmm......what happened to the below invoice pricing from dealerships with the thought that the dealership would get all the allocation of all the orders over other dealerships that didn't do below invoice pricing? I remember a conversation here about that when I commented that maybe under invoice pricing wasn't so good for a dealership, and I was pounced on by folks saying the dealership would get all that allocation. Having worked for dealerships for 29 years, and Ford for 15 years, I disagreed. I commented that allocations will always weigh heavily on overall (not just Bronco) sales volume, which has been shown to be the case. Looking at the price list that just came out, there isn't a huge margin between MSRP and invoice, so we're talking about 2500 bucks ish. I'd gladly pay the 2500 bucks to get my Bronco. Yes, this is kind of off topic, and yes, a bit of I told you so, but hey, this is an internet forum, and we throw stuff out there to talk about it and get reactions.

I hate to stoke the fire while it just started raging, but I too had a feeling this wasn’t going to pan out very well. While it really sucks what ford is doing to devout bronco enthusiasts, I passed on saving a few grand so I could buy local, also in fear the waitlist would be too long elsewhere.

I’m glad op got Levines attention, hopefully people pile on and make him feel like shit (although he probably has nothing to do with it, but that is what you get when you’re the face of a company on social media)

 

[telenerd]

Ford now has fine print in their 22 order bank opening that owners will put down a deposit and agree on purchase price before dealer can hit submit on order. Not sure why the forums aren’t on fire about that statement. Only took a bunch of tricks from dealers and stories reaching headline news to have Ford make a request for dealers to follow before ordering.

Order Conversion Process
CURRENT ORDER HOLDERS (Converted in Ford’s Ordering System)

• Your dealer will start scheduling order consultations with all existing order holders to finalize/submit, based on reservation timestamp order.
• Beginning 10/13, dealers can start updating/confirming orders in Ford’s ordering system with customer consent.
• You need to agree to pricing with your dealer at the time of order entry with a signed purchase agreement and any required deposit.

 

[HPNQ420]

Ford is not going to go walk back the MY22 allocation formula now that is has been communicated to dealerships. The days of thinking reservation orders are going to be built purely in timestamp order are dead and are not coming back. Instead we need to find solutions within Fords new system.

It would go along way if Ford would guarantee that all 2020 reservations be built in 2022. Simplest solution I can come up with is to hold back about 5% of the total MY22 production forecast and distribute that to dealers in an effort to clear out their 2020 reservation backlog.

Feel free to tweet that to Mike and if anybody else has any other solutions I would like to hear them.

 

[goatman]

Yeah, but Ford has no obligation whatsoever to dealers who racked up a ton of Bronco orders by going way under invoice. That is a marketing decision by an individual dealership and does not commit Ford to changing the allocation system. Sure, we can whine about looking out for the customer, but it's the individual dealership that promoted the order at that price that made the commitment to that customer, not Ford. Did those dealerships have any evidence that they would actually be able to fill all of those orders or was it wishful thinking? Business, and customer satisfaction, does not run on wishful thinking. This is the real world. Tons of examples in life of when going strictly for the lowest price doesn't work out the best.

 

[De Brus]

Yeah, but Ford has no obligation whatsoever to dealers who racked up a ton of Bronco orders by going way under invoice. That is a marketing decision by an individual dealership and does not commit Ford to changing the allocation system. Sure, we can whine about looking out for the customer, but it's the individual dealership that promoted the order at that price that made the commitment to that customer, not Ford. Did those dealerships have any evidence that they would actually be able to fill all of those orders or was it wishful thinking? Business, and customer satisfaction, does not run on wishful thinking. This is the real world. Tons of examples in life of when going strictly for the lowest price doesn't work out the best.

Any idea if Ford frowns upon dealers selling under invoice? I wonder if that has anything to do with the lack of concern?

 

[cowman]

Hmm......what happened to the below invoice pricing from dealerships with the thought that the dealership would get all the allocation of all the orders over other dealerships that didn't do below invoice pricing? I remember a conversation here about that when I commented that maybe under invoice pricing wasn't so good for a dealership, and I was pounced on by folks saying the dealership would get all that allocation. Having worked for dealerships for 29 years, and Ford for 15 years, I disagreed. I commented that allocations will always weigh heavily on overall (not just Bronco) sales volume, which has been shown to be the case. Looking at the price list that just came out, there isn't a huge margin between MSRP and invoice, so we're talking about 2500 bucks ish. I'd gladly pay the 2500 bucks to get my Bronco. Yes, this is kind of off topic, and yes, a bit of I told you so, but hey, this is an internet forum, and we throw stuff out there to talk about it and get reactions.

I have been in business for over 40 years... have seen this many times..... and yes I remember you saying this and me thinking... just wait you trolls.... it is coming and you won't get your Bronco this year because you put your order in with a dealer that offers big discount on a hard and new item to get.....

 

[j_marinelli]

Any idea if Ford frowns upon dealers selling under invoice? I wonder if that has anything to do with the lack of concern?

This is the way I see it:

Under invoice: Happy customers, not happy dealerships
Charging ADM: Happy dealerships, not happy customers.

I think Ford frowns on it as much as they frown on charging ADM.

 

[flip]

Any idea if Ford frowns upon dealers selling under invoice? I wonder if that has anything to do with the lack of concern?

Nope. Happens all the time on every other new Ford product. Now, they have have come out with ad standards on certain vehicles. They don't want you to advertise rebates 99% of the people aren't going to qualify for or less than MSRP on Lincoln. They really don't care what the final transaction price is because it doesn't impact their margin.

Sponsored