J.D. Power: 2022 China Auto Dealer Satisfaction Study

Research shows that in fiscal year 2021 , China's auto market gradually recovered from the impact of the epidemic last year, and new car sales rebounded. Driven by the increase in new car sales revenue, dealers' revenue and profits increased significantly, but the used car business progressed slowly and the proportion of after-sales business declined; in the face of the severe test of the epidemic, auto manufacturers and dealers need to strengthen cooperation and jointly improve dealers' sustainable profitability.

This year marks the 15th consecutive year that JD Power has released a study on auto dealer satisfaction in China. This study systematically measures dealers' views and attitudes toward automakers, and evaluates and analyzes various issues that manufacturers and dealers pay close attention to from eight dimensions (vehicle models and products, marketing, sales team, orders and delivery, after-sales team, spare parts supply, professional and non-professional skills training, and business policies and support). All information in this study comes from senior management of the dealers interviewed, and only the operating conditions of the dealers interviewed from January to December 2021 were investigated .

Research shows that in fiscal year 2021 , more than half ( 52% ) of dealers achieved profitability, and the revenue of dealers' single stores increased from 154 million yuan in fiscal year 2020 to 172 million yuan, with an average increase of 12% . The average profit of dealers' single stores increased from 2.74 million yuan in fiscal year 2020 to 3.78 million yuan, with an average increase of 38% .

The study also found that in the dealer revenue structure, the proportion of new car sales revenue increased from 77% in fiscal 2020 to 84% in fiscal 2021. In contrast, the proportion of used car business revenue was only 2% , the same as last year, and the proportion of after-sales business revenue decreased from 9% in fiscal 2020 to 6% .

Yang Xu, Director of JD Power China Auto Dealer Network Quality and Auto Finance Division, said: " The dealer satisfaction index is an important indicator that every OEM with a long-term development strategy should pay attention to, and it is also an important reference indicator for investors when making investment choices. This year's research interviewed a total of 2,680 general managers or investors of 4S dealers in the Chinese market , covering the dealer networks of 45 major auto brands. The sample coverage is comprehensive, thus ensuring that the research results are representative enough. "

Regarding the impact of the epidemic, Yang Xu said: " The sharp improvement in dealers' financial situation in 2021 is undoubtedly the result of the joint efforts of automakers and dealers. However, under the optimistic financial appearance, we must not relax our vigilance. The auto market will continue to be negatively affected by the epidemic in 2022. Automakers and dealers will face more severe survival tests. While reducing dealer inventory pressure, automakers must further strengthen their support and cooperation with dealers on important matters such as products, business policies, order delivery, sales and after-sales teams, and help dealers establish a more sustainable profit structure, which will help both parties overcome the difficulties together. "

Here are some other findings from the study:

• Luxury brands have the highest percentage of profitable dealers, and the percentage of profitable dealers of self-owned brands has increased the most: the percentage of profitable dealers of luxury brands is as high as 63% , 13 percentage points higher than that of mainstream brands. Compared with the previous year, the percentage of profitable dealers of self-owned brands increased by 14 percentage points.
• Dealers' satisfaction with manufacturers has steadily increased : the overall dealer satisfaction in the industry is 833 points, up 2 points from the previous year . The overall satisfaction of luxury brand dealers has increased by 7 points to 841 points, while the mainstream brand dealer satisfaction has remained stable at 831 points.
• Japanese brands continue to lead in dealer satisfaction, but have declined significantly: Japanese brands have the highest dealer satisfaction among the five major car series, but have dropped 14 points compared to last year, and are the only brand to decline among the major car series. Korean brands have made the largest progress ( +27 points), from 778 points to 805 points.

2022 China Auto Dealer Satisfaction Study Ranking

BMW ranked first in the 2022 China Auto Dealer Satisfaction Study ( DAS ) luxury car brand list with 865 points , while Porsche ( 863 points) and Mercedes - Benz ( 850 points) ranked second and third respectively.

BYD and Dongfeng Honda tied for first place among mainstream car brands with 860 points, and Changan Automobile ( 859 ) ranked third among mainstream car brands. Meanwhile, BYD is also the top-ranked Chinese independent brand, while Changan Automobile and Baojun ( 846 points) ranked second and third respectively.

The JD Power China Auto Dealer Satisfaction Study ( DAS ) measures dealer satisfaction with automakers. It is an effective tool to measure the health of the relationship between automakers and dealers and a reference for automakers to evaluate dealers and adjust their business policies. Dealer satisfaction scores are based on a 1,000- point system. Data collection was conducted from December 2021 to March 2022 .