Okay. This is getting silly now.

The sooner they release the price, the less flexibility they have to respond to changes in the marketplace. And with no new product on the lots to sell today, there is really no business advantage to releasing the price now. And plenty of potential disadvantage.

 

Yep. It also lets them observe how well the Insight does at its price point and what the demand is like.

There's no point in getting into a price war earlier than they need to w/nothing to sell. If they price it too cheap now, then it means they'll have to slash prices (offer more incentives) on the remaining 09s earlier and more than they need to.

I don't really see why johnnyp500 and the OP need to know NOW. Doug Coleman at http://priuschat.com/forums/2010-to...68.html?highlight=production+april#post819368 already said when the vehicle will be available.

 

This might PO some people, but some have mentioned ... 'might as well buy an 09 at this point ...'

Yeah right, buy an 09 and get a 5 year old design instead of getting a brand new design that is better in every way.

.. except for perhaps the 15" wheels with their plastic covers ... no biggie though.

 

Well, for some people value or price given a certain feature set/equipment level is important. Let's say, hypothetically, you can get a fully loaded 09 Prius for the price of the minimum available 2010. Despite all the huge improvements, some will choose the 09.

 

There can be an advantage, but it probably doesn't apply in this case, since Toyota still has 2009s on the lot. The advantage would come if Honda or another competitor were clobbering Toyota with a new model. Let's use the Insight as an example. Honda introduces the Insight, which undercuts the Prius, killing Prius sales. In this situation Toyota could pre-announce the new 2010 Prius, touting better features and a better price. This would have the effect of causing some potential buyers to not purchase the Insight, but instead wait for the new Prius.

IBM used this technique very effectively. When one of their competitors announced a new mainframe computer, IBM would roll out the PR machine and announce an even better machine. Never mind that they didn't have it. Sales of the competitors machine would drop to zero. It was a very effective technique for killing competition. There was an old marketing joke that went something like this: "We are getting a lot of orders for the new model. Better call engineering and tell them to start designing it."

IBM was so bad about crushing competition with pre-announcements that the federal government had to put a stop to it.

Tom

 

DID I MENTION THE $20750 2010 BASE PRICE IN JAPAN ?!!

 

It's even sillier that there isn't a confirmed price on the Insight yet (well at least in Canada, I haven't followed the US). I put in an order for both the Insight and Prius and was told that the Insight will be here to test drive on the 22nd (2.5 weeks away) and available before May.

For the marketing, I don't like how either CDN site even has a set area for the 2010 Prius or Insight yet. Just simple one page announcements, hardly any pics and no full spec sheets or package breakdowns.

 

Right now a sharp buyer can get a 2009 package 6 at a price which is $3000 lower than that same vehicle this time last year. It's nearly as low as a 2008 Package 2 last year. This will probably continue until all the 2009s are though the system.

As compared to the likely price of the 2010 Prius IV with leather and Navi ( no SR ) that's a savings of about $3000 - $3500 also. That's a lot of savings.

 

I'd have put the picture of the baby up too. I can understand being excited, and wanting to know the price, but the car isn't even for sale folks. Prices are published when the vehicle is available for sale, thats how it works. Toyota has involved you and this forum in a LOT of the pre-release excitement for this vehicle because they recognize how important you are to the vehicle and how strong a following it has. They let your admin have the first drive of the car and report on it before anyone else for God's sake...before Motor Trend or Car & Driver. Thats a huge compliment...

If somebody is going to come on a Prius forum after all of that and call Toyota crooked because they won't tell you the pricing 5 weeks before the bloody thing is for sale and then whine when people react to that...they are too babyish to post on internet forums.

Get over yourself and wait, you'll know the price soon enough.

 

Well Mr. Mature adult, look back at most of the posts, everyone who agrees with you or you agree with owns a Prius. Of course you're going to think that if you own a Prius because Prius owners are very proud of their Prius and most say their next car will be a Prius so if Toyota bases their 2010 model on those who already own a 2010 Prius great, congrats on the compliment to the admin. But.... If in addition to current owners they would like non-Prius owners to switch to Prius or choose Prius over the competition they need to give a bit more since their competition is basing their marketing strategy on them. The Insight which might as well be the Honda Prius was released a month ahead of schedule(release date was supposed to be earth day) just to fight the Prius. The Fusion, which most say should be compared to the Camry is still being compared to the Prius. Soo.. what I'm saying as a first time to be hybrid owner is Ive already done my research, a lot of it, and there's no way to add Toyota to my research. This suspense and build up is good for those who are Prius owners and can't wait and write that march 25th date on their calendars etc... But for the rest.. not sure if it's effective.

 

The Japanese base trim level is very much stripped.

 

I think you might be in the great minority for the moment. Most of the people who will buy the 2010 Prius are not current Prius owners. In fact, most of them don't even know the car is about to come out, nor have they really engaged in price comparisons.

Let's say you are correct about how this is great fun for current Prius owners and a strain on the few, like you, who've done most of your research. The fact the prices haven't yet been released is not an intended slight on you and the very few who are as prepared as you. Whatever Toyota's plan is for releasing prices on the 2010 Prius, I'm just glad the number is not yet out. I'm believing (hoping?) the longer Toyota folks wait to develop and announce the price, the better the chance the price will be lower so as to compete with the Insight.

If you see it as a marketing issue gone bad, and you care enough to like Toyota products, then give Toyota a call. Better yet, write a letter or send a PM to Doug Coleman. He's asking for input!

 

Have you read my posts? I don't like my Prius.

You just have to wait, the Insight and the Fusion are already on the market so you have the pricing, the Prius is not out yet. If you're so butt hurt about it just go buy one of the other ones. Toyota is going to sell plenty of Priuses, you're only hurting yourself by being unwilling to wait to see if its the right car for you, not Toyota.

I don't have a problem with people not liking the Prius, like I said I don't like my Prius. I have a problem with people who are self important as you have shown conclusively to be by assuming you know more about marketing cars than Toyota, that your purchase of one Prius is somehow so important they should rush you pricing so you don't go buy the Insight or Fusion because you can't wait a few weeks. Don't even get me started on the smartass way you've been addressing me and others or the fact that you're ragging on people's spelling. Give me a break and get over yourself.

The world is not going to end if you don't make your carbuying decision until the price is released in the next few weeks. Or, like I said go buy something else. Don't pretend its some trajedy for Toyota though that they lost your business or that they're going to loose everyone else's business too because they haven't released pricing. This is a 2010 model car, its April 3, 2009. If you weren't on this forum and Toyota hadn't involved this forum so much in their roll out you wouldn't know anything about the new Prius. Just wait.

 

Ding! :attention: Fighters to their corners.

:boxing:


Tom

 

johhyp500, no hard feelings ... many here are 'good sports' about kidding ... and thus rely on folks to not be too thin skin'd. I did leave scool at 16 ... to get luch ... then went back 'till I got a doctor's degree. Yep ... still can spell when I rush but I like to make fun of my self by saying I'm living proof anyone can get thru school, given enough time & money (look at George W). And "a priori", thanks for runnin' to my defense, but heck, as you know i'm 6"-5" ... and if I can't take care of my self, I can still outrun most
That said, we all whine now & then, and when we do, you can either fake sympathy, or mockingly go "whhhaaaa" to make 'em feel better. Peace & love, peace & love. The ford makes a nice hybrid. But having test driven the Prius, I'd suggest you wait. Now I'll go back into hiding.

 

No I haven't but if that's the case you're in the 10%.

And what do those 2 compete with?? would it be reasonable to assume that whoever buys a fusion or an insight is one less buying a prius?

I could care less about what or who you have a problem with but thanks for sharing.
Marketing strategies are subjective, everyone has their own opinion there is no right or wrong and the only way to test the strategy is to wait for the result. So I never said I know more about marketing than Toyota but I did say I didn't like their strategy and we'll know in the future how successful its been.

Don't want to go back to spelling but.... trajedy?? come on. anyway.. look back at the first comment. For everyone that decides on an insight or fusion or milan or whatever its one less Prius. but then again Toyota did say "We expect a large portion of this volume to come from current Prius owners. That's because more than 90 percent say they will buy another Prius". so as I've said before if that's their target market they can do whatever they want because it doesn't matter what you say or do Prius owners are proud of it and will buy another one anyway.

 

Well in that case Dr. Hill maybe you can hook me up with a test drive as well? anyway.. no hard feelings, and my apologies I may have exaggerated a tad as well.

Cya

 

I'll ignore your continued ignorance re: spelling, but wanted to point out that 90% of all owners buying another Prius does not indicate that this is their target market. Just that they know that since they make a quality product, 90% will likely buy one again. Their target market is much wider than just the 90% of current owners.

 

Wow, aren't I lucky!

Sorry should have included the whole quote:

"Sales of the 2010 Prius will start simultaneously in both the U.S. and Japan in late spring, followed shortly by Canada and other countries. Our current sales target for Prius' first full calendar year in the U.S. will be around 180,000 units. We expect a large portion of this volume to come from current Prius owners. That's because more than 90 percent say they will buy another Prius."

 

I wanted to get into this thread just to say I am NOT a current Prius owner. I just decided I wanted one, got on Priuschat to read more, found out about the 2010 and have been eagerly awaiting pricing since last week of December. With that said, I am not blaming Toyota AT ALL for waiting. They are a business and they gotta do what they gotta do.

I'm sad to see all the conflict in this thread and hope it does not spread elsewhere. Most people on here are so darn helpful and nice!