Volvo to focus on online marketing & skip Motor Shows

Volvo has decided the way forward for sales is to focus on on-line marketing and sales and skip all Motor Shows except China, Geneva and Detroit.

Volvo had a big on-line success with sales of the new XC90 First Edition, selling all 1,927 in a matter of hours, and that success seems to have convinced them the the future is with on-line marketing and sales. And they could very well be right.

In fact, so convinced are Volvo that they need to do something different if they are going to compete with the German premium brands – BMW, Mercedes and Audi – that they’ve decided they are going to give up on the Motor Show circuit – with the exception of Geneva, Detroit and one show in China – and put all their marketing budget in to on-line.

Volvo are reassuring their dealers that a shift in focus to digital marketing and sales won’t see them sidelined, and that sales made on-line will still pass through dealerships for delivery.

But with sales that are dwarfed by the German premium brands – and therefore far less money to throw at marketing – some strong new product already here – like the new XC90 and Drive-E engines – and more on the way, it could be a master-stroke by Volvo to take a different route to connect with buyers.

Time will tell.