Despite the stigma created by sub-standard China made products, Chery, a Chinese car manufacturer managed to post a positive growth in sales for the third quarter this year.
In Cebu, Chery automobile dealer Visayas Second Row Corporation has gained 30 percent growth this third quarter as opposed to last quarter.
The dealership has been gaining an average growth rate of about 10 percent monthly, said Raymund Basubas, Chery Cebu managing director in an interview.
Basubas said that their dealership is now making more sales than just generating mere interests.
He said that they are having a lot of buyers from outside Cebu coming all the way from neighboring islands such as Dumaguete City, Bohol, and Leyte.
This year, Chery Cebu targets to sell around 100 units but they are already 70 percent of their 80 units quota so far.
Despite the crisis, Basubas pointed out the many reasons for their company to be optimistic.
“We are very optimistic with the crisis because people will be looking at Chery now as we offer an alternative to expensive cars. Cars are a need for people nowadays especially for small businesses,” he said.
Chery cars boast of its affordability and quality as its prices range from P369, 000 for a .08 liter of QQ3 model to as high as P899, 000 2.0 V5 Crossover model.
“Right now we are still on the branding stage and we are still aggressively letting people know what Chery is and so far we have stirred the interests of car buyers with our affordable but quality units,” said Basubas.
This November, Chery will be opening its Asia Pacific Training Center where Chery dealerships all over Asia could send their after sales support team for training and seminars.
“This new investment on the part of Chery is better service on the aspect of dealerships because it will provide a holistic training for our staff. People have been hesitant to buy Chery because it’s a product from China but we guarantee to give better after sales service,” he said.
With its primary goal of making the brand closer to car buyers, Chery Cebu has recently partnered with Blue Info Club Channel 45 for a “Test Drive a Chery and Win” promo.
The promo aims to create possibility for car buyers to experience Chery cars and give ample exposure so that buyers will be enticed to purchase.
Basubas said that aggressive marketing campaigns will be their platform to create greater brand awareness for Chery here in the country’s automotive industry which has been mostly dominated by Japanese-manufactured cars.
Chery ranks second in China’s market share exporting more than 120, 000 units to more than 60 countries in the world.
By 2010, the company is eyeing one million sales as it continues to expand quickly in the international markets such as the Philippines.
Here in the country, Chery has around 18 dealerships and its goal is to reach 30 dealerships within yearend as more branches are being opened.
Chery Cebu has established a satellite showroom in Minglanilla serving its clientele based in the South and another satellite office will soon be opened in Bohol this year.