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Recently, a small SUV called 'Casper' is creating a sensation. Not only that it is the first car made by a labor-management win-win employment company. It is attracting the attention of consumers in many ways, and it is the first among domestic finished cars to allow customers to directly purchase a car online without going through a general store. The auto industry is booming.
Correspondent Kim Hye-min.
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number of online pre-orders for the first car 'Casper' produced by Gwangju Global Motors reached 18,940 on the first day alone.
It is the largest internal combustion locomotive sold by Hyundai Motor Company.
The combination of factors such as consumer interest in a new compact SUV model and price competitiveness by promoting win-win jobs such as non-union and half-price salaries.
Of particular interest is the sales method.
Direct sales through online are the first for a domestic finished car.
In the past, only pre-orders were accepted online, and actual contracts and vehicle acquisitions were made through agencies or direct sales outlets.
Selling cars online is already a global trend.
Tesla sells cars only 100% online, and Toyota of Japan launched an online shop 'My Toyota' last year.
GM Korea recently started selling the electric vehicle Bolt online, and Mercedes-Benz Korea also started selling certified used cars online, and plans to expand it to new cars within this year.
[Pilsu Kim/Professor, Department of Automotive, Daelim University: The global trend is that online sales are active and consumer-centric. Delivering high-quality products quickly and inexpensively to consumers is a trend that fits the Corona era… .]
However, the automaker's union strongly opposes online sales for fear of job loss.
The industry is predicting that the automotive industry ecosystem may reach an inflection point depending on whether Casper is settled in the market.
(Video editing: Jo Moo-hwan, VJ: Park Hyun-woo)