Ford is opening up some more First Edition Mach-E orders

[Badger_Prof]

There are no games. The cars either would of been scraped or not built at all. Ford is trying to give( even if a few) a change to get a first edition that didn't make the cut last time.

How many rare toys, items,guns, and things in life they only made a few of, We was left out no way to get one. Ford is trying to help a few people.

Some people mad like my kids when they didn't get that pokeman card they wanted in the pack.

The few more FF that will be built will not delay anything even a day. relax the Mache is still coming.

Sorry, trutolife27 but this is definitely Ford playing games. If customers perceive it as game-playing, then it is game playing! I personally am not interested in a FE but am happy for the forum folks who failed to reserve one initially but are now able to get one. I am, however, disappointed in the way Ford is handling this. I understand this silly move was not the fault of those who designed a beautiful car but the company is reflecting badly on those Ford employees, on the company, and on the car itself by spending more time playing games like this rather than spending time disseminating official information about the car. I am a business school professor (I know--big whoop). Had a team of my undergraduates submitted this plan, I would have given them a C- at best. I understand that some of my colleagues may feel differently. What is missing here, however, (and what could make me reconsider the C- grade) is the set of goals the marketing team was given that then came up with this initiative to address those goals. If the goal was to distract customers, their grade just went up because that is what they have done. If the goal was to develop a loyal customer base, it would appear their grade should go down. Whether you think this game was a stroke of genius or just stupid, it cannot be classified as anything else but a game. Come on, they even specify that the game has "clues." As many on this forum have suggested, it would have been simple to just offer the FEs to those with the earliest reservations. If they chose to not act within a reasonable time, maybe move on to the next set of reservation holders. It even would have been preferable to just offer the cars to dealerships--if we are to believe the hype, they should have no trouble selling them.

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[Kamuelaflyer]

You've probably missed all the other posts explaining that having unexpected FEs to sell now is not the problem. AT ALL. Quite the opposite, it's a great thing.

What's BS is the way they're allocating them to customers, through a silly #machdrop clues game, and especially for ignoring reservation priority to bypass thousands that got in line 9 months ago and were told they couldn't get an FE. Now suddenly a handful of lucky people off the street can get one, with no regard to reservation priority.

This.

A poorly thought out promotion. A poorly implemented process just to get to the possibility of ordering one. A poorly managed ordering system for it. A slap in the face for many who actually want an FE.

 

[JCHLi]

Sorry, trutolife27 but this is definitely Ford playing games. If customers perceive it as game-playing, then it is game playing! I personally am not interested in a FE but am happy for the forum folks who failed to reserve one initially but are now able to get one. I am, however, disappointed in the way Ford is handling this. I understand this silly move was not the fault of those who designed a beautiful car but the company is reflecting badly on those Ford employees, on the company, and on the car itself by spending more time playing games like this rather than spending time disseminating official information about the car. I am a business school professor (I know--big whoop). Had a team of my undergraduates submitted this plan, I would have given them a C- at best. I understand that some of my colleagues may feel differently. What is missing here, however, (and what could make me reconsider the C- grade) is the set of goals the marketing team was given that then came up with this initiative to address those goals. If the goal was to distract customers, their grade just went up because that is what they have done. If the goal was to develop a loyal customer base, it would appear their grade should go down. Whether you think this game was a stroke of genius or just stupid, it cannot be classified as anything else but a game. Come on, they even specify that the game has "clues." As many on this forum have suggested, it would have been simple to just offer the FEs to those with the earliest reservations. If they chose to not act within a reasonable time, maybe move on to the next set of reservation holders. It even would have been preferable to just offer the cars to dealerships--if we are to believe the hype, they should have no trouble selling them.

I believe (based on no known facts albeit) one of the goals was to get new customers. I don't think they fully anticipated the amount of interest from current reservation holders.

I would have to see the final numbers (which I will never see) to see if they succeeded or not. My guess is, this will be a wash overall.

 

[Badger_Prof]

I believe (based on no known facts albeit) one of the goals was to get new customers. I don't think they fully anticipated the amount of interest from current reservation holders.

I would have to see the final numbers (which I will never see) to see if they succeeded or not. My guess is, this will be a wash overall.

Could be. If so, and if the 95% of takers being current Premium customers converting to FE information is anywhere near reality, they failed at that goal. Which way should their grade go if new customers was the goal?

 

[dbsb3233]

How many people are sitting around with $60k in their pocket and decide on a whim to buy a BEV. I'm sure there aren't really very many and that 95% of all the FE's are going to Premium buyers.

True. But it's not really a matter of how many. Or that a handful of lucky and/or doggedly persistent random Premium customers get them. It's Ford's complete disregard for the sanctity of reservation priority. One of the best ways to piss customers off is by allowing line-cuts. Or perhaps I should say, making line-cuts visible to others in line. (If you're gonna allow line-cuts, do it secretly.)

 

[dbsb3233]

I believe (based on no known facts albeit) one of the goals was to get new customers. I don't think they fully anticipated the amount of interest from current reservation holders.

I would have to see the final numbers (which I will never see) to see if they succeeded or not. My guess is, this will be a wash overall.

This is what I suspected too. That's why I referred to it as a myopic idea -- it appears they only thought about trying to add new customers and astoundingly never though about how the thousands already standing in line would feel seeing new customers get to jump in the front of the line.

Now we're like "Hey, what about us over here?!?" Weve been in line for 9 freakin months! ".

 

[JCHLi]

This is what I suspected too. That's why I referred to it as a myopic idea -- it appears they only thought about trying to add new customers and astoundingly never though about how the thousands already standing in line would feel seeing new customers get to jump in the front of the line.

Now we're like "Hey, what about us over here?!?" Weve been in line for 9 freakin months! ".

I hear you on that. Although in my case I cannot really complain. I reserved on the release date but thought "naw, I don't need that" about the FE because I wasn't going to get the extended range. Once I changed my mind it was too late it seems.

 

[KAustin]

Maybe I got lucky. Maybe I have a great dealer. Maybe I am just too much of a pain in the ass. All I know is some combination of that got me a FE before all the Mach Drop nonsense.
“The Humanity!¨ - Also from that WKRP episode.

I know I have a great dealer. Since the day I ordered I let him know that if a FE came available that I would be interested. At that time and on a few other occasions he said the Ford rep indicated that it wouldn't happen. I was persistent and lucky, however. Unless, your reservation was 4002 one doesn't know who jumped in front them, if at all.

I think as time went on we all knew through the comments in this great forum that there were FE reservation holders that were not going to convert to orders leaving a possible opportunity. Could Ford have handled this differently? Sure, but knowing that a marketing opportunity (I won't call it a scheme) would allow someone, anyone, a chance to upgrade to a FE then some have been able to move up. Maybe someone who was 4002 moved to 4001, or 10000 to 4001, or 70000 to 4001. No one knows. Anything other than that is pure conjecture like most of the comments in the forum including some mildly conflicting pieces of information we enjoy from those I'll call "the insiders." Their information has always been the best. I wouldn't disparage comments made by @trutolife27 or @ChasingCoral because we have ALL benefited from the information or pics they have posted.

For better or worse, Ford is a business. A good business. Not all businesses make prudent choices and rarely are decisions widely seen as acceptable to all parties. Should someone want to change their reservation play Ford's game. If you are frustrated to the point you want to cancel... Cancel. One person's cancelation is another's opportunity to move up in the line.

 

[abr]

Honestly? I found "Whoever came up with this idea to bypass reservation priority for those waiting 9 months already and turn this into some silly "clues" game should be fired." amusing.

My apologies if you didn't intend to be amusing.

Marketing and advertising folks have been doing shit like this for decades. The media has been making fun of these sorts of failed attempts for decades, too (anyone remember the WKRP Thanksgiving Turkey Drop?).

The difference is that now with social media (including fora like this one), the cognizanti are so well connected that failed marketing suddenly turns into huge frustration for individuals if they choose to take it too seriously.

“You cannot control the behavior of others, but you can always choose how you respond to it.” -- Roy T. Bennett

Love the WKRP reference . . . . . still laugh every time I think of that episode!

 

[ajmartineau]

disregard for the sanctity of reservation priority

really?

It's just a reservation for a car. We're not waiting for a kidney. Just let it go.

 

[Badger_Prof]

really?

It's just a reservation for a car. We're not waiting for a kidney. Just let it go.

Does that include forum members who are selling a kidney to pay for the car?

 

[jlauro]

It's just a reservation for a car. We're not waiting for a kidney. Just let it go.

Exactly. It might be good for some to read Matthew 20:1-16. I think it applies here.

 

[macchiaz-o]

I didn't see this posted yet, so here it is in case you're interested:

Thanks, @JCHLi. I've edited the first post to refer people to this dealer document.

 

[dbsb3233]

really?

It's just a reservation for a car. We're not waiting for a kidney. Just let it go.

Sure, it's only the 2nd most expensive purchase in most of our lifetimes. Pfft, how silly to care about that, eh? I mean, it's not like we care enough to sit around and write hundreds of posts discussing every detail like it really matters, right?

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