The December 2018 issue of Canadian AutoJournal is now available online. You can flip through it here, but first, a few words from the Editor in chief of Canadian AutoJournal, Jack Kazmierski.
A Matter of Perspective
Perhaps by the time you read this, you will have already learned whether 2018 turned out to be another record-breaking year, or whether we fell short of the two million plus mark the industry was hoping for. But as I sit here writing this, the final numbers for 2018 have not yet come in.
If all the experts were right, then we probably did not reach the two million mark. The ramp-up we’ve seen in sales in recent years has likely started to ramp down. The question now is, how do we feel about that?
Ups & downs
Most of us probably realize that the drop in sales was inevitable. We’ve seen some headwinds economically this year, so a drop in overall sales wasn’t out of the question.
Most of us also probably realize that although overall sales may have dropped, they’re still at a very healthy level. Whether the final numbers hover at, below, or above the two million mark, that’s still an excellent number. The industry is still very healthy, and shame on anyone running around yelling that the sky is falling.
In fact, putting unnecessary emphasis on the decline in sales (vs. what were record sales figures), is irresponsible. It’s the kind of language that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Tell enough people that there’s an economic downturn, and sooner or later, if enough people believe you, you’ll have a recession on your hands.
Beware the headlines
So if you’re reading this after the final numbers come in for 2018, and if indeed the sales figures for the year were down from their record highs, beware the headlines that announce gloom and doom, because that’s just a cheap way of attracting more eyeballs.
Instead, I hope all of us have enough sense to see the decline in sales for what it really is—a part of a natural cycle. After all, none of us expected that annual sales would simply continue to rise, year after year. That would have been nice, but unrealistic.
That said, let’s not push the panic button, and let’s not buy into the doomsayers and their headlines. Our industry is still doing well, and although we may see some tougher months ahead, especially with rising interest rates, it’s not the end of the world.
I guess the “word of the day,” as we start a new year, is “perspective.” Sales may be down, but let’s keep 2018 in perspective as we compare it to an all-time record year. Whatever the final numbers for 2018 end up being, they’re sure to still be excellent. And if we can keep 2018 sales in perspective, we’ll start the new year off on the right foot.
Click here to read Canadian AutoJournal December 2018
