Mercedes-Benz Australia will try a new approach to lure buyers this November when it opens its first ‘Mercedes me’ store.
Australia’s first Mercedes me outlet, in the Melbourne CBD, will not only showcase its products but also sell coffee and food.
The car company has teamed up with boutique coffee brand St Ali at the Rialto site at the corner of King and Collins Streets to take advantage of the city’s “food culture and coffee culture”, according to Jerry Stamoulis, Mercedes-Benz Australia’s manager – public relations and product communications.
“The number-one objective is that if you want to interact with Mercedes-Benz you can, or you can just get a coffee if you want to,” he said.
Stamoulis said that the new shopfront “tailors to new buying habits” among car buyers. Mercedes-Benz won’t sell cars at the shopfront, however; buyers will be referred to a dealer.
The store will display just a couple Mercedes-Benzes, with a large product configurator screen and product specialists on hand to answer questions about the cars.
When redevelopment of the Rialto site is completed by November, Mercedes-Benz will move into the ground and first floors, using the venue for product previews, talks by Mercedes-Benz ambassadors, fashion shows, movie screenings and live music.
With the floor cleared for events, the site can hold up to about 150 people, said Stamoulis.
Melbourne’s Mercedes me is the eighth to open globally, following the likes of Milan, Munich, Beijing and Hong Kong.
The arrival of the Mercedes me store is a reflection of the paradigm shift facing the automotive industry and how it sells cars.
Subaru Australia has already started selling cars online here, while Tesla uses a direct sales approach globally, with no franchised sales outlets.