Evening star., 1924-03-09
AUTO men CONSIDER
feminine element
Women influence 80 Per Cent of
All Sales, Says A. B. c.
Hardy.

''As competition increases and the
number of automobile manufacturers
becomes less. the number Of automo-
biles in use constantly increases.
Both men and women have become
experts in the purchasing of their
individual transportation, and while
both sexes influence the style of
cars to a certain extent, they are
united in one thought-value. And
men insist on this far more than
women" says A. +. c. Hardy. presi-
dent and general manager, Olds mo-
tor works.
To-day, as never before in the
twenty-SiX years of automobile his
tory, value has become the outstand-
ing feature. There is no more loose
buying, no more experimenting al
the expense OF the owner. 1t Is up
to the automobile manufacturer to
put good. well made car on the
market and keep it good if he is to
succeed.
I'VE know that women influence 90
per cent of all retail automobile sales
made, and all manufacturers try to
please the feminine element. Finish
ing touches are put on cars that the
man cares little about. but the real
please or go bankrupt is the man.
women without question, influence
sales. but the men decide and pay
for the product. In nine cases out of
ten the man selects the make of car
ne wants to buy and then the woman
decides what body type he will select.
Asked Only That Car Run.
"A quarter of a century ago the
public demanded nothing but an au-
10n0hlln
most of the time 1t wouldn't even do
that for long. Today the demand is
Tor a car that will run and keep
running. II machine gets the repu-
tation of being in the service shop
half the time. it is through. Gossip
travels fast, and an improperly built
car cannot exist a year without giv-
ing the manufacturer a black eye
winch 1t takes years to get over.
In the last year I have heard
many business men say that they
couldn't see where all the money
was coming from to buy automobiles.
IN the same breath they will tell you
that they own at least one, and in
some cases two and three ears.
The problem OF selling the auto
mobile Is not and never will be one
of can I afford it, 1t is one of can
l afford to be without an automobile.
Ihat Is the reason for the success of
the automobile industry.
Held Business Proposition,
And now that the American man
is sold on the car as a business
proposition, 1t simply remains for
MIN to pick out the make he is to
BUY. He considers looks, reputation
or the manufacturer and the car.
service facilities, its resale value, and
often sneaks around the street cor
ner and locates a car he is inclined
10 1aVor at the curb. He looks at
the Speedometer. gets the total mile
age. and then looks the car over to
see what general condition it is in.
Maybe he talks to the owner. II
this examination is satisfactory. he
may visit the salesroom.
his next logical step is to invite
a salesman to bring a car to his
house for his wife to see. She may
seiect a different body type, but not
often does she dictate the make of
car the family shall own. She leaves
that to the man, and relies on his
Judgment in this respect
In the past there have been sew
eral makers who have built looks and
WeII for q time, but today they are
not doing the volume of business they
did, and they never will again until
they show the public that the value
is there as well as the looks. Women
want the good-looking and comfort
the requisite Of stanchness and me-
chanical value. Thus there seems to
be an ideal combination existing to
contro! the kind Of car which shall
be built.
AT the end of this year there are
going to be fewer manufacturers
than there are today, and this is go
ing to be true simply because the
smaller maker cannot produce cars
facturer."