Mazda USA starts a ‘Retail Evolution’ and ends its ‘Retail Revolution’

IRVINE, Calif. – Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) announced Aug. 27 its all-new dealership design, dubbed the “Retail Evolution.”

The image guidelines feature an open concept floor plan that makes extensive use of glass to give customers a clear view of what is going on in the offices of the sales people and sales managers.

MNAO says the glass-enclosed offices will bring a “new level of -business transparency” to Mazda dealerships.

Warm, raw material tones of wood and metal in the showroom give the stores a more upscale look than the automaker’s decade-old Retail Revolution guidelines.

The first Retail Evolution dealership built from the ground is Mazda of Everett in Seattle, Wash., which opened Aug. 27.

“Thanks to our KODO design philosophy and suite of SKYACTIV technologies, our vehicle lineup has never been stronger. We are now able to take that groundbreaking design language and translate it into our dealership experience,” says Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO, MNAO.

“Retail Evolution embodies the spirit and direction of the Mazda brand, while offering an upscale experience our customers expect and deserve.”

Clad in premium black and white, which replace the Retail Revolution’s orange and green, and featuring new chrome Mazda signs, MNAO expects the new Retail Evolution Mazda dealerships will have strong curb appeal.

New materials throughout the building give dealers an upscale look and feel with warm raw-material tones of wood and metal in the showroom.

The upgraded recharged Mazda Lounge will give customers features such as multiple-device charging stations and access to free WiFi.

“After working closely with Jerry McCann, the general manager and dealer principal of Mazda of Everett, we are thrilled to finally reveal this new Retail Evolution experience. I am confident it will be well received by Jerry’s staff working in the store every day, as well as customers looking to purchase or lease a new or used Mazda,” O’Sullivan adds.

Retail Evolution is loosely based on the Retail Revolution model, which was introduced 12 years ago.

Ron Stettner, MNAO’s V-P sales, told Automotive News that the automaker would offer the brand’s 600 dealers incentives to get them out of the Revolution, a decade-old program, and into the Evolution.  

Only 116 bought into the old program.

The goal of the new program is to give the stores a premium look to match what he called the “premium-for-mainstream” models such as the CX-5 and Mazda6.

He insists that the automaker will give participating dealers plenty of room to keep costs in line.

Stettner says the automaker will supply the specs for the upgrades and leave it to the dealers to select materials and vendors.

“We are going to give them the specs and allow them to find the most cost-effective solution.”

Canada’s Mazda dealers need not worry that they will have to re-image their stores and pay the bills that go with it.

“ I have confirmed with our dealer development manager that we do not plan to initiate this same retail image program as Mazda U.S.A. has just announced,” says Chuck Reimer, Mazda Canada, senior specialist, public relations.

“Over the last few years, our dealerships in Canada have all implemented our own current image program, which we are very satisfied with and believe it is designed to remain relevant for the foreseeable future.”