Welcome to this week's edition of Black Book Market Insights, with in-depth analysis of used car and truck valuation trends and insights straight from the auction lanes. Click here to download the full report.

This week’s Black Book Market Insights report shows vehicles in the truck segment with much weaker retention values than those in the car segment. However, Sub-Compact Luxury Crossovers in the truck segment have managed to maintain their value since last week.

“So far this…

Virtual Reality has been quite a craze recently with video gaming and other consumer electronics. However, the high cost of entry and expensive units limited its reach. Even Google’s cardboard VR glasses required smartphones that cost upwards of $700. The Oculus Rift Goggles were even more expensive and required high-end computers to work.

Now, however, Sony…

Your Competitors Are Invading Your Digital Beachfront

They spent thousands of dollars on digital marketing preparing to storm your fortifications because they expected fierce resistance. Instead they find an undefended Google Business Page from which you’re pouring customers straight into their sales funnel. Sound ridiculous? Well…

LENNY GETS A DO-OVER



Those of you who are closest to me, you know that Len Bellavia is one of my better friends in this business. Not only is Len my personal attorney; he is perhaps the best Dealer Lawyer in the business.

You might remember that Len was the attorney that successfully represented hundreds of Chrysler Dealers during their bankruptcy and…

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…

Here's a scenario that unfortunately many dealers are familiar with: your star salesperson is poached by the competition. To add insult to injury, the salesperson takes with him a list of all his--and your dealership's--former customers.

Now your competition is reaping…

This Week in Social Media

News for the Week of December 5

Twitter Users Can Now Create Moments on Mobile

Not long ago, Twitter announced that all users could create Moments on the web, and now they’re offering even more.  Twitter users can now create…

Are you creating advertising opportunities in your Facebook Live videos? Now, you can have the ability to broadcast commercials or other advertisements in your Facebook Live video. 

In this week's Hard Facts episode, Samantha reveals a way that you can increase the value of your live broadcast. Watch now!…

"'Twas the Friday Before Weekend"

    by Keith Shetterly

    (with apologies to "'Twas the Night Before Christmas")…

Don't allow your Finance Department to become average and never take the department to the next level..We often times say, It's as good as it  will get with the staff we have....your staff may have the potential but simply may need the correct coaching!! We consistently send the Finance Department to every Training Seminar and spend money for hiring the best trainers in the business....9 out 10 times..your staff hears the same exact material that they heard at the previous…

Businesses today know when consumers search for things—restaurants, retail locations, childcare, dog walkers, or anything in between—they are most likely to turn to online sources. …

Kerrigan Auto Retail Index indicates auto retail stocks reacting positively to Trump election, outperforming S&P by 240.9%

Irvine, CA, December 1, 2016 – Kerrigan Advisors today announced that The Kerrigan Auto Retail Index was up 11.66% in the month of November, significantly outperforming the broader S&P 500 Index by 240.9%.  With no earnings announcements or other major industry events, The…

Lately there have been some pretty hip writers talking down the old, dusty website lead as if dealers should forego this antique in favor of the more Avant-garde “engagement” or the equally vaporous “VDP views.” Their argument – when they bother to attempt one – basically boils down to “consumers don’t submit leads; they engage.”

Okay. Great. But, um,…

Between endless meetings, work-related tasks and familial responsibilities it probably seems as if you’re continuously pulled in different directions. Our society has devolved into a place where we often fail to stop and notice important things, simply because we’re so busy satisfying the needs and wants from those we love, or to those whom we have to…