[praveen_n]

Originally Posted by Jignesh

That is exactly what I pointed in my post (#337) above.

People are perceiving Nano to be a cheap car which is built with low quality Raw materials (which is not the case).

Pallavi, I definitely agree with you that Nano is a well priced smart car, but I wonder whether people's mindset will change or not.

Thanks,

Completly agree with you.I purchased a nano last month for my dad and everyone was asking the same quastion.Most of the people were saying "its a small cheap car and you can carry only two adults and two kids .You should have taken an alto ".But once I made them sit inside the nano they were .

[prkiran]

An article on a related note:

Tapioca and the Tata Nano Lessons in using PR for Marketing | The Marketers

[apachelongbow]

As I see the Nano today, first time car buyers (whom the Nano was intended in the first place), find that perceived value of this car is too low, even when compared to an Alto/Eon, hence would go for the Alto or buy second hand. Most of the sales for the Nano are for second car buyers, people who want a city run about or people who gift it to their parents. When the reliability and value for money of the Nano trickles down to the first time buyer and Nano is not perceived to be a half car, it will sell.

[Jignesh]

Originally Posted by praveen_n

Completly agree with you.But once I made them sit inside the nano they were .

Hello Praveen,

Firstly let me congratulate you on purchasing Nano for your Parents. Also wish you & your parents a good & safe miles in your new Car.

Yes, when people experience a drive in Tata Nano, they are literally shocked. It is by no means a cheap small car, but instead as pointed by Pallavi above it is a smart small Car.

Also suggest you to read Honeybee's Tata Nano initial ownership report: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...tata-nano.html

Originally Posted by prkiran

An article on a related note:
Tapioca and the Tata Nano Lessons in using PR for Marketing | The Marketers

Hello Prkiran,

Thank you for the link, the article is well written by a Management Trainee. The biggest mistake done by Nano marketers is Positioning. The pointers in the article are already bought out here on T-BHP in different threads on

Thanks,

[prkiran]

Originally Posted by Jignesh

Hello Praveen,

Hello Prkiran,

Thank you for the link, the article is well written by a Management Trainee. The biggest mistake done by Nano marketers is Positioning. The pointers in the article are already bought out here on T-BHP in different threads on

Thanks,

Hi Jignesh
Not exactly a management trainee, in fact it was written by one of my classmates at my b-school

[dhawald3]

The way TATA could try to promote nano and lift it's fallen image.


Showing all the colors nano has in a peppy ad like this.

New iPod Nano Commercial - YouTube

A sporty ad like the Black beetle

Volkswagen Beetle 2011 Super Bowl XLV television commercial - YouTube

and a smart commercial like this

2011 smart fortwo commercial - YouTube

[teamveevee]

Jay Lenos Car Collection - Tata Nano mentioned in CNN Report by Zain Verjee - YouTube

I will show you the other car he (Jay Leno) was really into, and that is Tata Nano, made in India, it is kind of known as the people car. The reason he already liked it is because it transformed the way people travel in India, where most people cannot afford a car. This is about $2700. Family of 5 on a motor bike, Mom, Dad and 3 kids on a bike, He was really talking to me and showed it to me, it is very cost effective and cool.

Looks like Jay Leno, really likes the car...

[amitoj]

Came across this article in Wheels edition
http://www.wheels.ca/news/cars-and-c...or-the-masses/

They seem to be predicting its doom. But it wont be the first time that the doom sayers could be proven wrong.
Go Nano!! *please*

[V-16]

Tatas need to wake up to the diea of maintaining Firsts in the Nano improvements also. They did give us the 1 lakh car...well almost. I feel, for the car to maintain sales and inquisitiveness of the common man, things like power steering and an automatic/cvt box are the need of the hour. Mark my words, it will be a surefire hit. And what is 25kmpl now? Their own Vista and half a dozen other cars are claiming that kind of mileage, so why would one go in for a Tortoise? Solution, Jazz up the OE features still, add Power steering, Auto box and spruce up the engine output to a respectable level. Try also not to raise the price hugely. Now how Tata does that is their problem. The day they announce a power steering and automatic nano, slow or not, im getting one.

[drmohitg]

Well they sold around 6500 Nanos in august which looks like a very decent number. I somehow feel this car will make a comeback as gradually people will start seeing it in larger number on the roads and shed there fears of it being a cheap unreliable car.

[KMohanan]

Originally Posted by V-16

And what is 25kmpl now? Their own Vista and half a dozen other cars are claiming that kind of mileage, so why would one go in for a Tortoise?

I own a 2010 Tata Nano LX and 2009 Honda Jazz. Under identical traffic conditions, Nano gives me 20-21 kmpl with AC and Jazz gives me 18-19 kmpl with AC ! Tata will have to improve the fuel efficiency figures !

[srikanthns]

Originally Posted by V-16

Solution, Jazz up the OE features still, add Power steering, Auto box and spruce up the engine output to a respectable level. Try also not to raise the price hugely. Now how Tata does that is their problem. The day they announce a power steering and automatic nano, slow or not, im getting one.

I also echo this point. Why the hell TATA cannot give power steering? If somebody says to give Rs1 lakh car, TATA went beyond that by quite a distance long ago. If some auto marketing/ costing expert is here, light can be thrown on the cost impact if you add power steering to an existing non-PS vehicle

[Redline6800]

Tata Motor's Nano has registered a stunning decline in sales to just 948 units for the month of April.

This is a whopping fall of 88% compared to numbers posted in April last year (8028 units were sold then). Exports have also ground to a halt with not a single Nano being sent out of the country. The non-appearance of a diesel variant, poor marketing / branding and the fact that it is no longer a Rs 1 Lakh car has put the Nano on the ropes. While Tata Motor's has gone on a discounting spree for almost all its models, Nano prices remain unchanged.

The updated 2013 Nano (yet to go on sale) features cosmetic upgrades such as chrome trim at the front and rear, redesigned bumpers and improvements in the interior such as dual glove-boxes, integrated audio system and speakers in the dashboard. One can't help but think that the Nano needs more to help recover its sales.

Stuck in the middle, with nowhere to go ? Nano sales have been on a steady decline


Here's why we think the Nano has failed:

1. Poor targeting: Let's face it, a large number of 2 wheeler owners – out of choice – don’t want to upgrade to a car. Petrol is too expensive (commuter bikes are 5 - 6 times as fuel efficient as a Nano) while a large % of motorcycle owners don’t even know how to drive. That probably explains why a majority of bookings (from the 1st round) were for the top-end LX variant.

2. It’s simply too unconventional: The Indian market, especially first-timer buyers, are a conservative lot. In that, they are extremely risk averse. The Nano is too “different” and “unconventional” for the mass market tastes. Factors like the engine placed at the back, a hatch that doesn’t open, battery under the front seat, 3-bolt wheels, differently sized front & rear tyres, lack of a glovebox et al make the Nano too different a concept for the junta. Many, including some owners, refer to the car as a toy.

3. The image of the “cheapest car” in the world: The media & Tata overplayed the “1 lakh car” bit. Let's reflect on when the Maruti 800 was launched; it was hardly pitched as a cheap car. Instead, Maruti chose to focus on the strengths of the product, which were only amplified by word-of-mouth recommendations based on owner experiences. Car ownership in India is greatly driven by aspirational value, and owning the “cheapest car in India / the world” is not something one aspires to. Simply put, the Nano lacks the all-too-crucial status that first time car owners are looking for.

4. The Nano isn’t really a 1 lakh car: The on-road pricing varies between 1.5 lakhs for the base version, and goes to well over 2 lakhs for the LX variant. Many two-wheeler owners weren't even eligible for car financing in the first place. For those that are, in our EMI-driven times, the 800, Alto & Spark aren't too far away.

5. Poor communications: Tata’s handling of the media around the Nano fire incidents left a lot to be desired. 5 out of 10 people who sat in my test Nano mentioned something or the other about the car catching fire.

The 2012 Nano incorporated a number of improvements compared to the original Nano, but sales have fallen far short of expectations. Sales of the 2012 Nano slumped from 5,491 units (September 2012) to a meager 1,505 units (March 2013).

Related Thread

[saket77]

No diesel, just bring in the electric motor under the hood/ or hatch, or wherever. That can only revive the Nano. Just look at the price, its 2.18 lacs! Just add a little more and you can get an Alto or an 800, which is a much conventional car by a time tested and reliable auto maker- Maruti Suzuki. There might be some benefits of driving a Nano, like easier to park & maneuver, etc. but customers feel trading a bit too much for a meager such of money that they finally add and go for say an Alto or 800. TASS competency and attitude has even made the job tougher for TML.

My thought, bring in an electric Nano...its a perfect candidate for being an electric like light weight, strictly city car, small size. That should make it stand apart form the crowd and should make sense to many people looking for a second car or a primary city car.

Regards,
Saket

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by Redline6800

4. The Nano isn’t really a 1 lakh car: The on-road pricing varies between 1.5 lakhs for the base version, and goes to well over 2 lakhs for the LX variant.

Guess you meant "ex-showroom" ?