Skoda joins rush to bolster online sales, extends digital booking to full range

Skoda Auto recently announced that the Octavia RS 245 was sold-out in India. The performance sedan came tagged at a retail price of ₹36 lakh (ex-showroom, India) and was limited to just 200 units. It received an overwhelming response and took no more than just 2 months to completely fly off the shelves. Now, Skoda Auto India has announced on Thursday to bring its entire product line-up within the scope of its centralized 'online' booking platform.

With a number of automakers in the country strengthening their online sales channels, Skoda said on Thursday that its entire range is now available to book online starting with Superb FL and Karoq against a refundable booking fee of ₹50,000. The new Rapid new 1.0 TSI can also be booked through digital means against a refundable booking fee of ₹25,000.

Skoda also promises a contactless experience which is crucial in the current times of social distancing to check the spread of coronavirus. This will help keep both buyers as well as employees safe. The company further claims that high priority has been given to designing the portal in a way that makes it completely transparent, free from hassles and available 24x7. “We championed an online sales experience with the launch of the Octavia RS 245. The results were astonishing, and the two hundred units of the RS 245 sold out in a jiffy. It has compelled the brand to extend the facility across its product portfolio," said Zac Hollis, Brand Director, Skoda Auto India. "The move is apt and acknowledges the demand for a contactless experience."

The Czech manufacturer would be hoping for some semblance of demand for its cars - other than the Octavia RS 245, to return after what has been an unprecedented month. Hollis had recently taken to Twitter to say that in all his career, he had not ever witnessed a month with zero sales. With factories closed, dealerships shut and demand only a trickle in times of national lockdown, Skoda is hardly alone in wading through troubled times. Car manufacturers at large aren't hopeful of sales picking up immediately after the lockdown ends which at present is scheduled for May 3. And while new product launches may suffer slight delays, industry experts mostly feel OEMs to take a cautiously optimistic approach in the months to come.