Nissan's well-intentioned tweaks to its controversial stair-step program last year appear to be backfiring. Some of the brand's U.S. retailers say they are walking away from the sales incentive program after Nissan decoupled some bonus money from hitting volume-based targets.
And worse, the diminished pool of incentive support is making it harder for many Nissan retailers to turn a profit.
In December, about 50 percent of the brand's dealers participated in the factory sales incentive program, down from about 65 to 70 percent two years ago, Nissan National Dealer Advisory Board Chairman Scott Smith told Automotive News.