Case Study | Tata Nano’s downfall: Unable to attract customers?

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Ratan Tata with Tata Nano

Tata Nano is a hatchback that was manufactured and launched by Indian automaker Tata Motors. Their primary launch destination was India, as a modest compact vehicle anticipated to speak to current bike riders – a dispatch cost of INR 100,000 or $2,500.

Tata failed to attract Indian consumers significantly due to the early cases of the Nano bursting into flames. Because of this, the impression of the automobile being hazardous due to the compromise in quality for slicing the cost was one of the major reasons why Tata Nano failed.

Tata Motors is expected to dispatch 250,000 Nanos every year. However, this did not happen. Instead, only 7591 were sold for the year 2016-17. In 2017, Tata Motors said that assembling would proceed because of Tata’s compassion for the project.

Failure

India’s population still consists of a large part of the society dwelling as low pay individuals. Buying a vehicle is still a dream for many in India. In 2008, Ratan Tata announced the delivery of its vehicle nouvelle, which would stir a whole new section in the automobile industry. He called the “1 lakh rupee vehicle” and used the same title for advertising.

Ratan Tata remained faithful to setting the Nano on the roads, and he did so by July 2009. Initially, the demands were towering for the car, but they began to fall month after month. Marketing the vehicle was the primary reason that lagged Tata to attract consumers. But, what could have possibly gone wrong with the marketing?

Nano promoted itself as the cheapest vehicle. No one likes to ride in a “cheap” car. Tata launched this vehicle intending to target the low pay individuals and their families, but however passionate the intention is, the automobile is seen with an eye of segregation in the public platform. Moreover, words like “cheap” and “lakhtakia” used in promotions and advertisements shook its image.

Also, there was an engine issue. Like mentioned earlier, the vehicle burst into flames, and this was related to the engine issue. Additionally, there was a buzz in the media that what if Nano becomes a hit? It could mean that the second-hand car industry would take a dip.

Tata Nano was focusing on individuals who never thought of buying a car – for those people who had low income. However, this propelled a certain level of opposition. As per the intended interest group, the media, followed by the general mass, pictured Tata Nano as a poor man’s vehicle.

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