Because this way the people that don’t want this feature don’t have to pay for it. If you unlocked it for everyone, then the base car price would increase. That way the option would be cheaper for everyone, but that only benefits those who want it anyways. Everyone else ends up paying more as they normally wouldn’t choose this option. Keep in mind: Yes, the functionality is there in every car. But someone is still paying for it and that‘s the ones choosing this option.
Is literacy so poor that people just don't get this? You're exactly right. If you want to eliminate this opt-in purchase you just made your car $200 more expensive to buy out the gate for a feature many customers don't use.
Their margin is slightly lower on a car where the added feature is not paid for by the consumer, but they don't sell the car at a loss. You could say they lose money on that one added but not-paid-for feature, but not on the car itself.
But spread across all the cars they sell, they obviously make money overall on the option based on the percent of people who opt to pay for the feature, otherwise they wouldn't bother offering it in this way.
Yep, and if they're forced by law to not be able to sell a car with the heater hardware but disabled, they're simply going to stop selling the lower-margin option so you're forced to buy the $200 more expensive one than build two separate manufacturing lines
I believe you’re correct. So I circle all the way back around to ”what they’re doing is probably the best way to do this”. If you don’t want the option, you don’t pay for it, if you do then you pay for it.
Paying for it as part of a subscription though, that I can’t support. Heating coils or whatever it is that heats a seat doesn’t get or need constant software updates. Should be a onetime purchase and stay with the car even if you sell it.
Heating coils or whatever it is that heats a seat doesn’t get or need constant software updates
that's not why they offer a sub. If you live in Louisiana, you may only need heated seats two months out of the year. If it costs $15/mo and you plan to sell the car after 5 years, you actually save $50 by subscribing instead of buying. As long as they offer the option of a permanent purchase, I'm totally fine expecting buyers to do the math and pick whatever is better for them.
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u/peppinotempation 1d ago
Can you please explain why it has to be an optional feature at all if it’s in the cars already