Before making a purchase, which are you more inclined to seek out—positive reviews or negative ones? This question has evolved from the realm of everyday consumer goods into the intricacies of the automotive industry, where savvy buyers are now employing a new strategy: examining negative reviews before making a vehicle purchaseThis tactic allows potential buyers to gather a more well-rounded view of the car models they are interested in by consulting sales representatives of competing brands.

As year-end discounts ramp up, one individual, who we will refer to as Zhang Shuo, found himself contemplating the acquisition of an electric vehicleUnlike the typical consumer who might visit a dealership to explore their desired model and engage in price negotiations, Zhang took an unconventional approach—he first visited the sales team of a competing electric car brand.

Zhang candidly reflected on his unconventional journey, saying, “When I accompanied a friend to a Zeekr store to look at cars in early October, I gained insights from the Zeekr salesperson that were somewhat consistent with our online research

However, the situation changed dramatically when I spoke with sales representatives from other brands.”

What Zhang and his friend discovered was that although there was a degree of trash-talking from competing salespeople, it also carried valid points that contributed to a more comprehensive understanding of their preferred vehicleThis experience enlightened them on a crucial approach to buying a car they wouldn’t regret: listening to what competing brands’ salespeople had to sayIf they felt satisfied after hearing both sides, it increased the chances of making a decision that wouldn’t lead to buyer’s remorse.

The age-old strategy of improving one’s own position by disparaging the competition becomes apparent in these scenariosWe’ve all encountered the moment when a hesitant consumer reveals which models they are considering, prompting the salesperson to deliver a calculated response targeting that specific option

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For example, Li Jie, who recently obtained her driver’s license, was intrigued by electric cars and had her sights on a TeslaBut when she indicated that she might explore other brands, a Tesla salesperson cautioned, “You definitely want to invest in a brand that’s making a profit; don’t go for a struggling brand, or you may face problems down the line, just like the case with Jikrypton, which, despite being backed by Geely, still ended up closing down.”

Following this, Li Jie went to a Zeekr dealershipAfter revealing her interest in Tesla's Model 3, she was taken aback by the insights shared by the salesperson, which were eye-opening“He mentioned that despite Tesla’s high profile, its technology was quite unreliable, with brake failures being common and the infotainment system lacking robustnessHe even emphasized Zeekr’s ‘Road Ice’ features,” she recounted.

Others have echoed similar experiences

For instance, after test-driving Ideal L9, some consumers headed over to Hongmeng Zhixing to explore the Wanjie M9. When they expressed their wish to compare the two, the sales representative promptly shifted to critiquing Ideal L9 instead of discussing their own productMoreover, other consumers reported being warned by Ideal salespeople that while NIO’s battery swap service appeared appealing, every swap would yield an old battery, complicating future swapping opportunities.

This blend of information highlights a broader trend among automotive brands: while some salespeople engage in a form of competitive one-upmanship by belittling rivals, others tactfully focus purely on comparing their product’s strengths, thereby enhancing customer goodwill and trustFor instance, a knowledgeable salesperson from the Lantu dealership acknowledged that while the brand's recognition might not rival Tesla’s or NIO’s, he skillfully outlined their product’s advantages, such as Lantu’s impressive range exceeding 900 kilometers and its adaptive damping suspension, which resonated with potential customers.

“A Xiaomi salesperson even told me that since this is their first time manufacturing vehicles, they wouldn’t cut corners,” stated another consumer, highlighting how sales tactics vary across brands

NIO's emphasis on its battery swap services, framing it as a more economical option than purchasing batteries outright, enhanced their appeal among discerning buyers.

Ultimately, the justification behind persuading consumers varies among salespeople, but both extremes—too much negativity or overwhelming praise—risk fostering a sense of skepticism among customersInterestingly, the phenomenon of disparaging competitors is not a recent development; it traces back to the era of gasoline vehiclesSupported by the transformative shift toward electric vehicles in 2025, the competition among automotive brands is expected to intensify.

Against this backdrop, many consumers feel overwhelmed by the plethora of choices, making the car selection process even more challengingSome opt for a more straightforward tactic: after conducting online research, they make a beeline to a dealership to finalize a purchase, minimizing exposure to often misleading competitive sales talk.

However, as Zhang Shuo and his friends observed, not all words uttered by rival salespeople are merely trash-talking; they often contain genuine criticisms worth considering

After all, to effectively undermine a competitor, sales teams must conduct thorough research, which usually provides them with a more significant body of knowledge compared to the average consumer.

A prospective owner, who will be referred to as Lu Yiran, shared that her decision to purchase the Yetao L60 was heavily influenced by insights gleaned from competing brands' salespeople about potential shortcomings“Considering the comparisons, I felt comfortable accepting their claims about range anxiety and the newness of the brand, especially since the starting price of the battery-rental version is under 150,000 yuanThese drawbacks seemed negligible compared to the overall design aesthetics that appeal to my generation,” she explained.

Within the dialogues conducted by industry peers, several consumers reflected on their experiences of navigating the sales landscape

“Besides amassing both positive and negative feedback from other electric vehicle owners online, it’s crucial to converse with functioning salespeople to filter out the demerits regarding rival cars,” many echoed.

One notable strategy emphasized was to never consult a single rival brand’s sales representative; it’s vital to gather insights from a range of brands to identify commonly cited issues that truly reflect a product’s reliability.

Several consumers cautioned against brands that merely indulge in disparaging rivals without conveying substantial information about their own vehicle's advantagesThey noted that buying a car isn’t a one-time transaction; ongoing service will impact the overall ownership experience significantly.

Unpacking the communications from automotive sales representatives often reveals more than mere promotional language; these representatives typically use their own advantages as benchmarks for comparison

Consequently, such claims often reflect their most compelling attributesFor instance, in November, when the Xiaopeng P7+ launched, consumer Qiu Beibei felt an involvement that swayed her choicesHowever, after gathering comparative insights from salespeople of rival brands, she ultimately opted for the Tesla Model 3, stating, “While I was initially intrigued by Xiaopeng’s offerings, the product advantages highlighted by Tesla and Zeekr swayed me toward choosing Tesla’s superior screen-interface and intelligent driving features.”

Similarly, Xue Zihan, who found herself fluctuating between BYD Dolphin and the SAIC Volkswagen ID.3, realized that consulting both brands yielded critical information on how ID.3’s winter endurance was more stable when compared with the Dolphin“The power of the ID.3's intelligent version far surpasses that of the Dolphin’s mainstream options,” she noted