Cars.com Has Generated More Than 5,000 Qualified Cash Offers for Consumers 

Since Launch to Select Markets in May

50% of Consumers Planning to Sell a Car Prefer to Trade In Their Used Vehicle at Dealership

CHICAGO (Aug. 1, 2022) — Americans have several options when…

Car Supply Shortage Squeezes Sellers and Shoppers as Cars.com Finds Nearly 1 in 3 Recent Buyers Drove 100 Miles or More for the Car They Want1 

CHICAGO, June 10, 2021 —…

According to the 2019 Women’s Car Buying Report* by JoinWomenDrivers.com, female buyers account for 45% of new car purchases. In 2018, that translated into 7.74 million new vehicles bought by women. And in addition to…

With women buying over 50% of the cars sold in America and influencing 85% of vehicle purchases, auto sales strategies should include certain factors that may contribute to why women choose to purchase from a particular…

Hey Car Dealer: Stop Letting Carvana (and Everyone Else) Define You! 

If you believe the corporate manifestos and marketing pitches of every automotive retail-related startup for the last twenty years, then you’d think America’s car dealerships are staffed by a bunch of puppy-kicking thieves providing zero value as they work overtime to deliver the absolute…

Millennials are growing in number and their car buying preferences are vastly different than baby boomers or Gen X. There are so many conflicting reports and studies, so I recently read up on the subject and came across several interesting pieces of information that I thought I’d share in this blog:

1. Millennials drive more than any other…

A recent McKinsey podcast shared that when it comes to loyalty programs, a large part of the population is being ignored: elderly customers.

The podcast featured Jaana Remes, partner of the McKinsey Global Institute, and coauthor of…

In their new book, The Intuitive Customer, authors Colin Shaw and Ryan Hamilton contend that companies that try to fight declining customer satisfaction by lowering prices are going about customer satisfaction the wrong way. Instead, they state that the magic to winning customer loyalty is based on…

People buy everything online these days. Or do they? In reality, there are some items people simply prefer to touch, see, feel, taste, smell, or drive before they consider signing on the dotted line or forking over their credit card. Several automotive leaders have…

Women purchase over 50% of the cars bought and play a major role in over 85% of car purchases. 

Women are not only coming in more armed with researched information, but they are practical, savvy, and open to change. They want to develop a relationship of trust with a dealer and it’s up to us to rise to their…

In the popular science fiction movie, The Matrix, the hero Neo is presented with two options by the mysterious Morpheus – the red pill or the blue pill. By taking the red pill, Neo would be enlightened into the real world. Whereas, if he chose the blue pill, he would remain peacefully ignorant of reality and continue to live in the fantasy world. If you’ve seen the movie,…

There was a time when dealerships hated the internet.  I know, it’s hard to believe. What is interesting is that while most dealerships have learned to embrace the internet, many still feel it is an obstacle to overcome, a nuisance that interferes with the old adage: “Say anything you need to get them in here!” But here’s the deal- I am hearing that people are only…

Today I want to talk to you about a potential future I believe is rolling towards our industry at an alarming speed. You see, what I do, is I peek around corners looking for trends that have potential teeth and which could impact the automotive industry. 

Recently I have become very concerned, as there is one particular trend that could be with us in the very…

The market is calling Beepi, Vroom and the Carvanna’s of the world ‘Disruptors.’ I simply call them evolutionary companies that will assist in gaining consumer trust and confidence with the car buying experience -- and ultimately with dealerships.  

Today’s technology has made it a snap to buy most goods online and this has conditioned consumers to expect…

I believe that, as an automotive community, we intuitively know that we need to change. The sales to consumer model is outdated – our fault for not demanding of ourselves consistent improvement in the consumer experience arena. Consumers are demanding more and Wall Street has taken notice. Backed by hundreds of millions of dollars, companies are quickly rising that threaten…

There’s little doubt that the experience provided by auto dealerships in the past has jaded consumers into a stereotype and perception that isn’t necessarily accurate any longer, yet continues to persist. Because of this perception, companies such as Beepi, Carvana and more are creeping into the automotive space and threatening to snatch sales away from dealerships. (how? by…

Generation Z : Digital Natives

Understanding Why the Youngest Car-Buying Generation is so Important

You’ve heard quite a bit about millennials, Gen Xers, and earlier generations. Now it’s time for Generation Z to get some time in the spotlight. Gen Z is generally made up of individuals born between the years of 1995-2012, and for automotive dealerships, that means this generation is just barely starting to scrape the surface of buying. However, they are a group to watch for…

In our industry, one universal sales practice is to tailor your techniques to the wants and needs of the customer in front of you. If you have a young male drooling over that sports car, you’ll probably be talking about performance specs, 0-60 times and horsepower. If you have a young family, you’re probably going to be reviewing all of the safety features of…

Consumers have been showrooming in retail stores for quite some time now and, while many retailers don’t like it, they’ve pretty much resigned themselves to the fact that it’s going to happen.  However, one surprising argument posted in an article by speaker, trainer and consultant, Bob Phibbs, went so far as to make the claim that showrooming is akin to stealing.

In his…