One of the most representative news stories in the car ring recently was that bmw 7 is a significant price reduction for terminals. This message was the cause of extensive discussion, not only because the figures were sufficiently visible, but also because it struck a reality that was happening: when the identity premium is no longer automatic, the luxury brand has to answer a more realistic question: how much are you worth。
Many people's first reaction is that “the limo is not easy to sell.” however, this change is underestimated when one sees only “saleless”. More precisely, the high-end automobile market is moving from “brand unilateral pricing” to “user value pricing”. In the past, brand rings themselves could support higher premiums; now, users will ask: is intellectualization leading? Is the cost of using a car friendly? Is the preservation rate stable? Does the service experience really match the price
This is not a short-term fluctuation of a particular vehicle, but a system upgrade of the consumption decision model。
First, technical variables have been recast to value criteria. New energy and smartness are rapidly iterative, allowing consumers to move away from mere mechanical qualities and brand history, and to begin to integrate “motive experience, assistive driving, ota capability, complementary efficiency” into core decision-making. The smoothest moat in the past was brand stories and manufacturing traditions; users now want “the difference in experience that can be felt today”. When the experience gap narrows, the premium is naturally compressed。
Second, the macro environment has mainstreamed “reasonable accounting”. Consumer tolerance for large expenditures is lower in a more prudent budget cycle. Buying a car is no longer an “immediate decision”, but a “part of cash flow management”. More and more people look at the total cost of the full cycle: acquisition cost, insurance, oil/electricity cost, maintenance repair, residual value impairment. Whoever can give a better solution in this equation is easier to deal with。
Third, transparency in information weakens poor information on prices. Short video, car rating communities and price platforms allow for fast and transparent prices, and users can almost see in real time the level of preferences in different regions and in different outlets. In the past, the bargaining space supported by “access barriers plus information asymmetries” was being flattened. Consumer bargaining power has grown, and brand pricing has naturally been redistributed。
Thus, the essence of this round is not “no more luxuries”, but “no more luxuries must prove why they are worth the premium”. In other words, the premium will not disappear, but the “unconditional premium” will disappear。
For brands, this means three things have to be done:
1) move from “identity” to “value”. It is not just history and tone, but verifiable product strength。
2) move from “sale once” to “business life experience”. Delivery, after sale, software upgrades, second-hand residuals form closed loops。
3) move from “high maori priority” to “long-term trust priority”. Short-term promotions can be traded, but will depend on reputations and repurchases over the long term。
For consumers, it is a more friendly time. Because you can finally buy “big goods” in a more rational way: rather than being pushed by brands, you make decisions with your own standards. It used to be “i don't deserve it”; it's now “it's worth it”. It's a mature, not a downgrade。
If you're just looking at the car, here's three practical advice:
First, to calculate the total cost, not just the price of the naked car. The total expenditure for the three years is presented as follows: vehicle price, taxes and charges, insurance, energy, maintenance, projected residual value. You'll find that some of the “looks cheap” options are more expensive in the long run。
Second, the dismantling of preferences is not confused by “integrated preferences”. Cash concessions, financial discounts, replacement subsidies, extended gift packs, insurance bindings, with very different amounts of gold. Looking at the “total preferential figures” alone is easily miscalculated and must be broken down。
Third, give yourself a 72-hour cool time. Door rhythms, time-bound policies, and stockpile pressures are creating a sense of urgency that “must be bought today”. Real rational decision-making can take three days to come. Three days later you still feel worth signing it。
In conclusion, bmw 7 is about 270,000 down, not an isolated event, but more like an age slice. High-end consumption is not over, but rules have changed. The future winning brands are not the most story-telling brands, but the best to prove value on a continuous basis; the future smarter users, not the most expensive ones, are the “highest of certainty”。
