The reinvention of Polestar's concept for authorized dealers

Monday, 17 september 2018 | Redacción CEU

Polestar has set itself the goal of opening sixty car dealerships in different parts of the world in 2020. These places, which are known as Polestar Spaces, will offer a vehicle marketing approach which is very different from the one we are used to. One of the points that stands out about the new proposal of the electric performance firm is that these places will not be destined to direct car sale. Then, what is the company's plan? How will the firm sell cars without selling them?

The new subsidiary of Volvo Cars Group, Polestar, has the firm intention to break away from the traditional concept of authorized dealers. The brand has recently announced its will to open 60 new "authorized dealers" in different parts of the world which they consider strategic points. These new spaces will be more similar to small auto shows than to traditional sale points. The intention of Polestar is to try new ways of marketing vehicles in an effort to focus on the customer experience and less on the direct sale of cars. Will this strategy be effective?

From authorized dealers to small car shows

The electric performance car company plans to achieve this goal by means of a new authorized dealer concept that moves away from the usual pattern and resembles an exhibition room above all else. Polestar wants this new space to be able to convey its philosophy and, that is why, as part of its design, it uses the same language as in its models: minimalism. In the so-called Polestar Spaces, visitors can admire and appreciate in isolation the main elements of Polestar's vehicles. For example, they will exhibit some of their car components such as the rims or the details in carbon fiber, thus emphasizing their artistic expression.

Polestar's plan is for customers to be able to have a more direct experience. Users cannot just see these components, but they can also touch them. The firm wants clients to discover the engineering that hides behind the "skin" of their vehicles and to appreciate these cars from a different perspective. These spaces will also have brand experts that will advise customers in their visit to these "authorized dealers". These professionals will not earn commissions for the sale of cars, so the experience will not be as aggressive as it may be on other occasions. The company wants to avoid customers feeling pressured when signing any type of contract.

Their plan is for their clients to go on the Internet after their visits and buy the vehicle they have found in these spaces and in which they are really interested. Although Polestar's proposal is disruptive in some points, these original points of sale will continue to maintain some key aspects of the commercialization of vehicles such as including the fundamental and necessary possibility of testing cars.