A Marketing Revolution for Cars

~Giant Gulliver Landing in America~

This coming September 29th, in Torrance, California, a completely different type of car dealership will open which will overturn what up to now has been commonsense in the world of automobile distribution. Called the Gulliver Car Connection Center, there are plans to display more than 300 automobiles on the expansive site on a regular basis, but exactly what kind of business is this? At this time, we asked Ash Suzuki, who works for the company, Gulliver USA, Inc., about the plans, management and operation of this business during an in depth interview.

SS: “What in the world is Gulliver Car Connection Center?”
Suzuki: “Since our company first expanded to America in 2004, we have been buying cars and collecting market data from which we find that there is high customer demand and which tells us that there is a need to be met. To that end, for people who want to sell their car, they want to sell it at a higher price. People who want to buy a car, want to buy it at a lower price. Besides those needs, people want to feel safe and secure while buying or selling. There are those needs. It seems simple, but it was extremely difficult to actually create a system that could fulfill these two needs. For instance, at a used car dealership, because of the costs of stocking and maintaining the profit margins when selling, automobiles are bought cheaply and sold at a high price. However, we also fully prepare and equip our cars and take care of the paperwork for the customer, which creates a high degree of security that the customer feels. On the other hand, there is the desire to sell a car at a high price. And buy at a low price. That type of person might buy individually on the internet or some such place. If it is handled skillfully, it is possible to sell at a high price and buy at a cheap price. But thinking of it from the standpoint of security in negotiations, aren’t there naturally elements of insecurity? “At this time, the plan of our business at Gulliver Car Connection Center is to eliminate those two demerits, leaving only the merits to create a completely new retail operation selling automobiles.”

SS: “Leaving only the merits. Is that kind of thing really possible?”
Suzuki: “At various stages of our plan there are a number of problems and we have acknowledged that even for our company this is not an easy thing to do. However, for those who want to sell a car and for those who want to buy a car, it is to be expected that there is undoubtedly a place where both are happy and getting to this part of our plan, we have finally managed to open our new operation at this time. Honestly speaking, there was a substantial initial investment that had to be made, but regardless of that, if all of those buying and selling automobiles profit, then our company will also profit. At the present time, we have a strong belief that our plan this time will succeed.”

SS: “In concrete terms, what kind of an operation is it? Could you explain that for us?”
Suzuki: “Speaking simply, the Gulliver Car Connection Center is a site where individuals can buy and sell their automobiles. That’s what it is. For those who want to sell their cars, they bring them to the operation where they are displayed at the price that the individual wants to sell. And then, when there is someone who wants to buy a certain car, Gulliver conducts the negotiations as a go-between, settling the final price and doing such things as taking care of the paperwork. Gulliver’s car advisors act as go-betweens for the buyer and seller, giving each of them advice. There is no need for the buyer and seller ever to come face to face. The money that Gulliver receives is at the conclusion of the sales contract, when there is a uniform $500 fee paid by the seller, so there is no reason whatsoever for our company to raise the price. That is all we receive, although there is the option of having us wash the car and we have a service to completely prep the car, but fundamentally it is the seller’s and buyer’s judgment that guides all of the negotiations. In addition, in regards to selling a car, Gulliver’s professional inspectors will inspect this car to determine the condition that it is in. They evaluate it and determine what the merits are for a judgment at a glance. This is different from what individual buyers and sellers can do, isn’t it? For the buyer, it is a clear-cut way to find out what are good and bad points. That is because we think that it is best to present that in a clear-cut way.”

In the next issue, we will offer an on-the-spot report of the opening of the Gulliver Car Connection Center. We hope that you enjoy it.


BACK ISSUES: Marketing Revolution of Cars
September