Big Boy Toyz sells huge on zero-km luxury cars as segment takes a hit

Zero kilometer cars are new, unsold cars that dealerships hold and are bought and sold in bulk by intermediary dealers at a discounted price through authorised dealers

Priyank Sukhija, chief executive and managing director of First Fiddle that owns a chain of over 30 restaurants, recently gifted a zero-kilometre-run Volvo V90 to his daughter.
 
Zero kilometer cars are new, unsold cars that dealerships hold. They are bought and sold in bulk by intermediary dealers at a discounted price through authorised dealers.
 
Instead of buying a car through an authorised Volvo Cars India dealer, Sukhija booked one through Big Boy Toyz (BBT), a Gurugram-based luxury marketplace for pre-owned luxury cars, which diversified into zero-kilometer cars last year.
 
“Over the past five years, I have bought and sold several pre-owned luxury cars from BBT. When I learnt they have got into zero-kilometre cars, I immediately went for one. Besides the comfort of dealing with them, it was an attractive price tag that swung the deal in BBT’s favour,” said Sukhija. He got the V90m 10 per cent cheaper as compared to what he would have got from a Volvo dealership.
 
Zero-kilometer cars are gaining traction even among high-profile, fast-paced buyers like Sukhija and has meant brisk business for Jatin Ahuja, founder and managing director, BBT. BBT sold close to 100 such cars last year and is looking to double it up this year.
 
Ahuja sources such cars in bulk from distressed dealers of luxury car companies who are willing to get rid of their unsold stock in bulk at a marginally discounted price.
 
Passenger vehicles sales in India have been on a decline for over three quarters and luxury cars sales have been hit, too.
 
“We don’t sell all new luxury cars but select models depending on the availability and pass on the benefit of the bulk purchase that we get to our customers. No dealer can match that price offer,” said Ahuja.
 

Depending on the make and model, one can get a discount of 10-25 per cent on the exclusive showroom price (excluding taxes), he said, adding it also offers them the convenience of choosing the desired brand from multiple options under the same roof. 
 
Ahuja said over the past one year BBT has retailed zero-kilometer cars from Volvo, BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar Land Rover, and even Maserati.
 
A month ago the company ventured into sale of new super bikes, too. They are retailed online as well as from its existing used luxury cars showrooms. “Supply of new cars is a bigger challenge than demand,” said Ahuja.
 
A luxury car company official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the cars being retailed by BBT are demo cars or stock cars, which it must be buying from dealers who have them in excess. They could also be buying them through company auctions that are open for everybody, the official said. “Given the emphasis luxury car companies give to buying experience, a multi-brand format where price is the only differentiator may not work.”
 
The official also said his company doesn’t deal with intermediaries like BBT directly.