What is the difference between a direct sales store and a 4S store?
1 Answers
The main differences between a direct sales store and a 4S store are as follows: A 4S store refers to an automotive sales service station that integrates vehicle sales, spare parts supply, after-sales service, and information feedback. It collaborates directly with manufacturers and receives support such as relevant technical information and vehicle inventory from them. On the other hand, a direct sales store is solely responsible for selling motor vehicles, and its inventory is sourced from 4S stores. Below are the detailed explanations: 1. Explanation of 4S stores: (1) A 4S store is essentially an automotive sales service shop that combines vehicle sales (sale), spare parts supply (sparepart), after-sales service (service), and information feedback (survey). (2) Due to the variety of services provided, 4S stores typically have larger premises and more staff. (3) The establishment of a 4S store receives support from the automotive manufacturer, including technical support, vehicle inventory support, and information support. At the same time, manufacturers require 4S stores to maintain a strong brand image and meet quarterly sales targets. 2. Explanation of direct sales stores: (1) Direct sales stores are solely responsible for selling vehicles and do not offer services such as vehicle registration or insurance. Therefore, they do not require large premises—just enough space to display a few vehicles. (2) The vehicle inventory of direct sales stores comes from 4S stores, which is why they are also referred to as secondary dealers. Since direct sales stores are not regulated by manufacturers, most of their inventory is sourced from 4S stores, with a small portion coming from unspecified channels. (3) Similarly, because they are not regulated by manufacturers, direct sales stores can offer lower prices than 4S stores, which is their key competitive advantage.
