保价为何孤掌难鸣？

Core Viewpoint - The automotive market is experiencing renewed price competition, with Deep Blue Automotive's S09 model introducing a "one-year price guarantee" policy, aiming to build consumer trust amidst the price war [2] Group 1: Price Guarantee Policy - Deep Blue S09 is priced between 239,900 to 309,900 yuan and offers a price guarantee for orders placed before June 30, 2025, for 365 days [2] - Few brands have followed suit with short-term price guarantees, with the longest being 90 days, contrasting sharply with the price guarantee trend seen at the end of 2022 [2] - The automotive industry's price guarantee strategy faces inherent contradictions, as it consumes future price adjustment space, especially in a rapidly evolving market [2][5] Group 2: Legal and Consumer Behavior Challenges - Legal risks are significant, as price guarantees have unilateral legal effects, and companies face compensation and reputation risks if they breach these promises [3] - Despite 83% of consumers welcoming price guarantees, only 27% consider them a crucial factor in purchasing decisions, indicating a preference for absolute low prices over relative value [3] Group 3: Industry Profitability and Competition - The automotive industry's profit margin has dropped to 3.5% in Q1 2023, down from a peak of 8.99% in 2014, leading to a cycle of increased sales but stagnant profits [5] - Price guarantees lock in profit margins, which can be detrimental for companies with low margins, as they may lead to significant profit reductions [5] Group 4: Supply Chain and Systemic Risks - Supply chain pressures complicate price guarantees, as manufacturers often transfer price competition costs to suppliers, creating a risk of unilateral price guarantees [6] - The collapse of the second-hand car residual value system highlights systemic risks associated with price guarantees, as consumer confidence in long-term value diminishes [8] Group 5: Technological Evolution and Market Dynamics - Rapid technological advancements weaken the foundation of price guarantees, as consumers face obsolescence of hardware, leading to a shift in focus towards software subscription services [9] - The automotive industry is undergoing a transformation from one-time transactions to lifecycle services, suggesting that traditional price guarantees may not be sustainable [9]