Mercury selectively sending out rebates to potential customers
The Truth About Cars is reporting that some households are receiving "private cash" rebates of $500 to pluck a Mercury off the dealer lot, but not everybody is getting the message. There is no telling who is getting these emails or why, but the cash-off coupon can reportedly be used to grab any Mercury without a hybrid powertrain, i.e. it doesn't apply to the Mariner Hybrid. Each email has a specific code that is non-transferable, so sending the offer to a friend is out of the question. Mercury is also targeting buyers that don't seem to have a Ford-branded vehicle in their driveway, as conquest sales would be a big shot in the arm for the blue oval's most beleaguered domestic.
We can see why Mercury ad execs would send out a special rebate email to spur sales, but it's hard to imagine why the offers aren't transferable to those who would actually use them. With the recent high quality scores for the Milan and the improvements made to the Sable, the more people that Mercury can get into its showrooms the better.
[Source: The Truth About Cars]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
geo.stewart 6:36PM (10/23/2007)
$500 doesnt say much to me.
I got $2000 from GM to get out of my lease early or to use towards a down payment if I didnt want to end my lease yet, on top of whatever rebates were available.
Now, that spoke to me.
Reply
Chaz 7:16PM (10/23/2007)
Totally agree with Stewart, but this just seems like another one of the Mercury division's strange moves. Either let it die in peace of bring it back to life with real Focus, Mondeo, Kuga, maybe Falcon.
Reply
geo.stewart 7:37PM (10/23/2007)
Agree.
Ford has got to make Mercury something other than a trim level.
Make Mercury Ford's Saturn, please!
spencer 8:16PM (10/23/2007)
Making Mercury GM's Saturn isn't a good idea. Most Mercury dealerships are tied to Lincoln and those salesmen wouldn't know what to do with some fancy pants European car. Merkur anyone?
JT 7:22PM (10/23/2007)
I received the $2,000.00 rebate from GM also. They took me out of my BMW lease. Love my new 2008 CTS. BMW didn't offer me anything major to consider another one. Hello Cadillac!
Reply
Vivek 9:41PM (10/23/2007)
Why am i not getting any of these deals!!!!!!!!
catchmeinhawaii 5:20AM (10/24/2007)
This probably won't help Mercury much. What they really need to do is start importing the EU Fords and rebadging them as Mercury's. It seems to be working for GM with the Opel/Saturn brands. Otherwise... goodbye Mercury. Say hello to Oldsmobile for me!
Reply
ryan 8:02PM (10/23/2007)
doesn't this constitute an unfair pricing practice if they're offering select people a rebate or cash incentive to purchase?
maybe i'm wrong though. i have been before.
Reply
AZMike 8:22PM (10/23/2007)
I think the Truth About Cars folks have either been sleeping under a rock for about twenty years, or obviously haven't ever been in the car business.
all auto manufacturers have done this since the first rebates began with Chrysler in 1975. who could forget Joe Gargiola's "buy a car, get a check?"
I had looked at a new Buick Enclave last week, and they have a $500 "conquest" rebate if you own a 1999 and newer non-Buick vehicle. you don't even need to trade it, you just need to show them the registration. there are no incentives or rebates otherwise, even for present Buick owners.
if you own any brand of vehicle (and it doesn't matter what it is), chances are that if you're happy with it, you'll buy another.
the object here is to get folks in who would have never considered a Mercury. offering a bonus like this works, and is common with most manufacturers.
I've leased many cars thru GMAC, and they generally send out a letter in the last six months to a year before your lease expires. in the past, they will eliminate the final six to twelve payments if you buy or lease another GM vehicle.
the Truth About Cars folks should perhaps look in other areas to find that "smoking gun"; perhaps there are "secret rebates" on Buster Brown shoes.
AZMike
Reply
David 8:35PM (10/23/2007)
Sounds like spam to me. Click.. click ... delete.
Reply
Will 8:36PM (10/23/2007)
$500 isn't that much 'cause when I purchased a new 08 Sable about 3 weeks ago I got $3,500 cash back and so far it has been an awesome car, much better than the 04 Camry I traded in.
Reply
wabisabi 9:52PM (10/23/2007)
Mercury is America's non-brand... doesn't stand for anything, but it'll fall for anything. Happy white bread America brands, no one needs. Dealers run Ford marketing so their genius is evident in how the Mercury brand has been handled.
Reply
fm 10:58PM (10/23/2007)
Personnaly I don't even know why people buy Mercury. But that's not my problem.
I agree though that $500 isn't going to bring anybody out to a dealer unless they are already considering a Mercury in the first place.
Now add a zero at the end of it, that'll definitely get people there
Reply
LMdealer 6:18PM (10/24/2007)
Here is how Mercury has described the program to the dealer body:
"The Q4 Mercury Portfolio Launch Direct Mail is sent to targeted owners, handraisers and lease terminators to support the launch of the all-new Mercury Sable, further support the branding message and encourage repurchase consideration w/ a $500 Private cash offer on the purchase or lease of a new 2007/2008 Mercury vehicle."
This program is available to both previous Ford Mo Co and non-ford owners who have expressed interest in a Mercury product in the past several months via internet inquirys primarily. It is also sent to previous customers who's demographic suggests they would consider the new Sable. It is a separate incentive available above and beyond any other incentive offered on each new Mercury.
Don 1:51PM (10/26/2007)
That's one way to clear out '07 inventory. Or even '06 inventory.
Reply