Tesla sent text messages to their customers informing them of the delay of their deliveries of the $35,000 Model 3. Some of their customers complained in online forums that the representatives of the company are attempting to upsell the cars, telling them that they can get a vehicle sooner If they upgrade to a longer range model 3 that costs more than their purchases.
The reports and comments of the customers were summarized by the auto news site The Drive. The website reported the customers' complain. Tesla, however, declined to give their comment regarding the delay of their deliveries and the reported upsell tactics.
Traditionally, upselling is practiced by car dealers. They, normally, to convince their customers to try their fancier car models. Dealers usually load up the cars with extra fees to increase their profit including offers of different paint, a more powerful engine or heated seats.
Tesla is directly selling their cars to their customers online through its company-owned showrooms. Tesla has an edge over other car makers because of its electric models. The company is also well-known to have a superstar CEO. The company also assures its customers that buying their cars gives them a luxury experience. The 2018 annual report of the company said that its showroom is highly visible, premium outlets in major metropolitan markets. The company announced in early March that they will raise the prices of their cars to assure that some of their branches continue their operation.
Tesla is a popular brand that needs to perform honest business. The company is well known to produce quality cars and reports of upselling from its online customers are concerning. The report of The Drive suggests that the company is willing to step down to the same sales tactics that the other auto dealers are using.
Tesla's use of the same tactics might increase its first-quarter sales and bring it closer to its projected profit for the second quarter. The photo posted by its CEO, Elon Musk, in Twitter on March 30 showed that the company's semi-electric truck delivers Tesla cars which mean that the customers who reported the delays of their order might still get their cars. The auto industry is expecting that soon Tesla will announce the number of cars they built and sold in the last quarter.
It is believed that the reported upselling and the sleazy tactics might anger Tesla's customers who are waiting for their car models.
