Nissan Revives, Expands Stair-Step Incentive Program
A memo sent by Nissan to its U.S. dealers and reviewed by Automotive News indicates the Japanese automaker has revived and expanded the quota-based sales bonus program it experimented with last year.
AN’s Urvaksh Karkaria says the memo calls for bonuses of up to $1,000 per unit for every vehicle in Nissan’s 2025-MY lineup as well as some 2024 models. His report, which includes insights from Nissan dealers and factory executives, traces the history of the programs and examines potential pitfalls.
“The National Automobile Dealers Association has long criticized volume-based incentive schemes — referred to in the industry as stair-step programs — as destructive,” Karkaria notes. “They can be a high-stakes gamble for retailers, who often sell vehicles below cost to hit their monthly sales numbers and collect the bonus. Missing the target by even a single vehicle leaves the dealership swallowing losses on each sale.”
