Land Rover is offering customers in North America an easier way to order an all-new Freelander -- from virtually anywhere. Starting August 30, customers who visit http://www.Freelander.com can reserve a vehicle online as part of the Freelander Initial Public Offering (IPO.)
Says, Dean Evans, Land Rover media and interactive e-commerce manager, "With one of the highest-rated retail sales experiences, the best use of Internet technology and a leading edge customer acquisition strategy, we feel we have developed what will soon be an industry standard."
Customers who go to http://www.Freelander.com will be among the first to place an order for a Freelander in North America, before the vehicle officially goes on sale in December. There are several special features only available on the IPO vehicles, including custom IPO floor mats, an exclusive IPO only color choice -- Monte Carlo Blue, and a numbered key chain to match each vehicle's build number to show its personalized characteristic to each new IPO customer.
"We wanted to offer our customers a fair and easy process that would fit into their daily routine," says Mr. Evans. "With so much buzz in the market place already for Freelander we feel that the IPO process will help us better meet customer demand."
There are three basic steps to the IPO process, which distinguish it from other vehicle sales initiatives on the Internet: Configure, Confirm and Track.
Configure
Once a customer has accessed http://www.Freelander.com, they will find detailed information about Freelander and will be able to initiate the configuration process.
Initially, the customer will be made aware of the estimated National Build Start Date, so they will have a reasonable idea of when their Freelander will be built.
Next, the customer will configure their Freelander, choosing the trim level, color, options, etc. Once the vehicle has been configured, the customer may elect to "save" the vehicle so they can retrieve it at a later date or move forward with the ordering process.
When a customer has decided to move forward with the reservation process, they will be prompted to enter their name, e-mail address and zip code. They will then receive information via the web site, stating which nearest Land Rover Centre has been assigned their order.
To complete the configuration process, the customer submits their order and immediately receives an order number along with a printable "window sticker."
Confirm
The customer has five days to confirm the order of their personally configured Freelander with the Land Rover Centre that they have chosen or have been assigned. The Land Rover Centre may also choose to have one of their Guides make contact with the customer to confirm the order and invite them to come visit the Centre to meet the staff and learn more about the "Land Rover Way."
Track
Customers will receive an e-mail upon confirmation of their order. They can then use their order number to track their vehicle starting with production at Solihull in the UK to delivery at the predetermined Land Rover Centre.
"The days of going into a dealer and not getting an estimated delivery date on a hot product are over," Mr. Evans says. "The Internet is an important tool in today's market place and in our everyday lives and we feel that it is a perfect way to communicate with a much wider customer base."
Freelander will be the first small, premium European sport-utility vehicle ever sold in the U.S. market. The five-door Freelander, the first all-new Land Rover model for North America since 1994, comes from the same British lineage as Range Rover and Discovery but is a more compact interpretation of the premium SUV package.
