Automobile salesperson
Encyclopedia
The automobile salesperson (or salesman) is one of many sales professions. The automobile salesman is a retail salesperson, who sells new and/or used cars. Unlike traditional retail sales, car sales are usually negotiable. Salesmen are employed by new car dealership
s or used car dealerships.
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
s or used car dealerships.
Types of salespeople
A salesman negotiates deals with private buyers and corporate buyers. An internet salesman or manager may handle advertising and leads that come through the internet, or distribute leads to floor salesmen. The fleet manager markets to corporate or institutional customers who buy several vehicles at a time at a discounted, set price, and does not deal with the general public. A closer is often a senior salesman who assists in negotiation. The floor manager sits in an office which usually has a sales board listing appointments and recent sales activity by salesman. The salesman brings offers to the manager who can accept or make counter offers. The manager makes decisions as to what final negotiated prices will make business sense under current market conditions.Car negotiation
The price of a car, unlike many retail sales, is often negotiable. New cars will often have a factory window sticker listing equipment and options, and the suggested retail price. With the prevalence of the internet, and third party information sites, the profit of dealers has dropped dramatically. The salesman is paid a commission, rarely a fixed salary but usually based on a percentage of profit, so a deeply discounted price results in a very low commission for the salesman.Popular culture
The automobile salesman, particularly the used car salesman, has often been a source of characters, often negative, in movies and television shows and cartoons. History and fairy tales often characterize peddlers(people selling goods) as negative influences, or outsiders out to take advantage of people.- In the Muppet Movie, Milton BerleMilton BerleMilton Berlinger , better known as Milton Berle, was an American comedian and actor. As the manic host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater , in 1948 he was the first major star of U.S. television and as such became known as Uncle Miltie and Mr...
plays Mad Man Mooney. - In Willy Wonka & the Chocolate FactoryWilly Wonka & the Chocolate FactoryWilly Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a 1971 musical film adaptation of the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, directed by Mel Stuart, and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. The film tells the story of Charlie Bucket as he receives a golden ticket and visits Willy...
, Leonard StoneLeonard StoneLeonard Stone was an American character actor who played supporting roles in over 120 television shows and 35 films.-Life and career:...
plays Mr. Beauregarde, Violet Beauregarde's father. - In FargoFargo (film)Fargo is a 1996 American dark comedy-crime film produced, directed and written by brothers Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Frances McDormand as a pregnant police chief who investigates a series of homicides, William H...
, William H. MacyWilliam H. MacyWilliam Hall Macy, Jr. is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though...
plays Jerry Lundegaard, a salesman at an OldsmobileOldsmobileOldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
dealership in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. - In SuckersSuckers (film)Suckers is a 2001 film written by Roger Nygard and Joe Yanetty which revolves around events at a car dealership. Suckers stars Daniel Benzali, Lori Loughlin, and Louis Mandylor and co-stars Walter Emanuel Jones...
, a movie humorising automotive dealerships and salesmen. - In True LiesTrue LiesTrue Lies is a 1994 American action-comedy film directed by James Cameron and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Tia Carrere, Charlton Heston, and Art Malik. Eliza Dushku also appears in the film in one of her first major film roles...
, Bill PaxtonBill PaxtonWilliam "Bill" Paxton is an American actor and film director. He gained popularity after starring roles in the films Apollo 13, Twister, Aliens, True Lies, and Titanic...
portrays a used car salesman who pretends to be a spy to seduce bored housewives. - In Matilda, Danny DeVitoDanny DeVitoDaniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
portrays an unscrupulous used car salesman named Harry WormwoodMr. WormwoodMr. Harry Wormwood is a fictional character in the British book Matilda, by Roald Dahl, and lead character in the film based on the book. He is the father of title character Matilda Wormwood and her older brother Michael, and the husband of Mrs Wormwood. While he treats Michael nicely, he treats...
. - In Cadillac ManCadillac ManCadillac Man is a 1990 comedy film starring Robin Williams and Tim Robbins.-Plot:Brooklyn car salesman Joey O'Brien must deal with the ever-increasing pressures in his life: he has an ex-wife demanding alimony, a daughter who's missing, a married mistress and a single mistress who are both...
, Robin WilliamsRobin WilliamsRobin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
portrays a used car salesman. - In Three's Company (TV series), Larry DallasLarry DallasLarry Dallas is a fictional character on the 1977 - 1984 ABC sitcom Three's Company, portrayed by Richard Kline. He lives upstairs from Jack, Janet, and Chrissy/Cindy/Terri, and is Jack's best friend. He is a womanizer and often lies about his job to impress girls, from being "Playboy's best...
is a used car salesman. - In EastEndersEastEndersEastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, RoyRoy Evans (EastEnders)Roy Edmund Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tony Caunter. Introduced by Series Producer Barbara Emile in 1994, Roy was scripted as a love interest for Pat Butcher...
and Barry EvansBarry Evans (EastEnders)Barry Evans is a fictional character played by Shaun Williamson. He appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders between 1994 and 2004. The character was portrayed as a "buffoon." Williamson controversially left the serial after ten years in 2003 after executive producer Louise Berridge refused to...
, KevinKevin WicksKevin Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Phil Daniels. He made his first appearance on 17 February 2006...
and David WicksDavid WicksDavid Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michael French. He originally appeared between 1993 to 1996...
, BradleyBradley BranningBradley Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Charlie Clements. He made his first appearance on screen on 24 January 2006 and last appeared on 22 February 2010. Clements has won multiple awards for his portrayal....
and Max BranningMax BranningMax Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jake Wood. He made his first appearance on 27 June 2006.-Backstory:Max is the fifth child and second son of Jim and Reenie Branning...
, FrankFrank ButcherFrancis Aloysius "Frank" Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by the late Mike Reid. Frank made his first appearance on-screen as a guest character in 1987 but, due to a positive viewer reception, he was reintroduced in 1988 as a regular. Reid took a long...
and Janine Butcher, and also Darren MillerDarren MillerDarren Miller is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Charlie G. Hawkins. He made his first appearance on 6 September 2004 and departed in the episode broadcast on 20 September 2011.-Storylines:...
, Have all portrayed car salespeople.
External links
- http://www.Selling-Process-Tips.com - Sales training for car salesman and selling tips for the automobile sales professional.
- Bucketcheck.com - Resources and humor for automobile sales professionals.
- http://www.ohiolemonlaw.com/car-dealer-dictionary.html Car Dealer Dictionary
- Australian confession of a Car Salesman