Gulfstream Aerospace Showroom – in Manhattan.

With Tesla shutting its Model 3 showrooms and Amazon launching cashier-less food stores in Canada, the world of retail marketing is in flux. Who knows how the world will buy high-end products in future years, especially when it comes to demonstrating (and selling) private aircraft.

Selling a multi-million dollar long-range aircraft is a very different challenge to selling a bottle of ketchup (or even an electric car) so what does Gulfstream Aerospace do? Open a fully-fledged demonstration showroom in downtown Manhattan of course.

Clearly not every business aircraft manufacturer can afford to invest like this or could justify such an expensive city-centre location but it seems Gulfstream see a distinctive marketing advantage in providing such a customer-led initiative.

It’s a long way from Savannah but it certainly looks like a gutsy move. And a smart one.

With a tip o’ the hat to BJT for the attached video and a quiet nod to The Jet Business in London who arguably led the way with the concept.