Exporting the Spyker Car

[Spyker]

Goodday Ladies and Gentleman,

Like the title says, this thread is about exporting the Spyker to Japan, and I thought that this forum perhaps could help me understand on what I am facing.

I was given the asignement to make an exportplan for Spykercars International. Spykercars is the pride of Dutch automobile engeneering, and although they have businesses in Hong Kong, Peking and America, they now want to export there car to Japan.
They abosolutly know nothing about Japan and its upper-class as well as the way they buy a car. And here is were I come in the picture, I am a junior executive that needs to find out, on how the millionaire Japanmen go off to buy there cars, how do they buy them, where they buy them, how they react to foreign vehicles, and where they live and such. I am at a really tight budget and I was wondering if maybe anyone of you who is quit knowledged about Japan and its people, could perhaps help me make this report work.
For example: Here in the Netherlands, we go off to a dealer and at some point that day we buy the car, is this the same way Nihonjin go to work, or to they behave differently.
I thank you with all regards if you want to help me,

Yours Sincere,
J.A.C Wiszniewski

 

[Ewok85]

Same deal, cars are bought from dealers.

Alot of weight is given to how well known a foreign brand is - BMW, Porsche, Ferrari are all of course very popular as they are well known foreign brands that add status. Your best bet would be to find Japanese car dealers who specialise in foreign imported cars and do a deal to send a few over and see how they fare. Also getting into car shows and the sort to gain interest would be important.

 

[Spyker]

I see, but I heard somewhere that people from the dealers come by your house to discuss things, and that it takes very long to complete a deal or something ?

 

[jieshi]

If you are looking for quick bucks in Japan, my understanding would be that you are not going to get them. If you want the big bucks in Japan you need to do the time- Japanese business is all about building a strong relationship with your japanese business partners- you are in for the long haul.

 

[Ewok85]

I see, but I heard somewhere that people from the dealers come by your house to discuss things, and that it takes very long to complete a deal or something ?

Never heard that, they may come around to finalise paperwork if your a big customer, but most of the time you have to go into the dealer to do the work.

 

[Davey]

Another Dutch here, and just wanted to wish you luck! I love the spyker, and I have read on the www.telegraaf.nl that Spyker is touring true Asia at the moment.

 

[nice gaijin]

I'm afraid I've never heard of your brand before, either here or in America. Building brand presence is right up there with building strong business relationships, unless you intend to appeal to a niche market of wealthy (since you mentioned upper-class; I'm not even sure what your target demographics are) people who are already familiar with your cars (in which case, you need to identify your audience)?