What ways could dealers be more transparent, IDEAS anyone?

[joe.pistell]

Rather than being subjected to the slow torture of spending a few hours being set up and (potentially) ripped off by car salesmen, one will simply be able to log in to the new web-based system, pick a vehicle, arrange for financing, and then set up a delivery location.

Ugh... Some day this stupid urban legend will die.

If you're not inside the dealership you can't see the obvious. From inside the store, the evidence is everywhere, car shoppers WANT to go to the dealership. Shoppers don't want a shopping cart because the internet SUCKS. Adding more transparency simply helps the shopper at the dealership (it's not a catalyst to replace the dealership).

You've heard me say before: "If our websites are so good, then where are all the shopping carts?"

 

[craigh]

Dear Toyota,

For the test to work, you'll need to do it right....

1. Close down all your stores
2. Make a car that has no peer and can't be bought anywhere else.
   
3. Reduce your output to 55,000 units a year
4. Require shoppers to order and wait for their car

See GM's Shop-Click-Drive for insights into how happy shoppers are with this new "I hate the dealer" solution.

I think that's a bit short-sighted. I see your comparison to Tesla, but you're assuming that all Tesla deficiencies are required for the business model to work.

1. You don't have to close down all stores, it's a re-imagining of the process. People seem to make the assumption that Elon Musk hates dealerships and hates the physical interaction, but this is not the case.
   

   That is why we are deliberately positioning our store and gallery locations in high foot traffic, high visibility retail venues, like malls and shopping streets that people regularly visit in a relatively open-minded buying mood. This allows us to interact with potential customers and have them learn about our cars from Tesla Product Specialists before they have decided which new car to buy.

2. Make a car that has no peer is somewhat relevant, but not necessarily. If customers do want to order online, then that's a value differentiation that they offer. Scion's competitors aren't making the same type of car at the same price point IMHO. Aside from the BRZ/FRS, the rest of the Scion line-up is pretty unique in it's own way. IMHO they're student cars and they market them that way with graduate rebates, etc.
3. Tesla's current output is not limited by demand, it's limited by production. People tend to quote the decrease in US demand, but internationally that's not necessarily the case. Old article, but there's plenty more discussions on the topic - http://blogs.barrons.com/stockstowa...a-motors-demand-continues-to-outstrip-supply/
4. The order and wait is a defect in the Tesla model - if Tesla's could be built in 24 hours and delivered in 48 their sales wouldn't drop, so there's no reason why Scion would have to do the same thing.

Obviously this is all my own opinion, but I feel like you're missing the reason why people want to buy online.
If Amazon sold Subarus I would have bought mine there and had it shipped like everything else I buy.

 

[craigh]

See GM's Shop-Click-Drive for insights into how happy shoppers are with this new "I hate the dealer" solution.

Just because I prefer chocolate, doesn't mean I hate vanilla ice cream.
Just because I want to buy my next car online, doesn't mean I hate dealers.

 

[yagoparamo]

Perception perception perception

 

[joe.pistell]

Just because I prefer chocolate, doesn't mean I hate vanilla ice cream.
Just because I want to buy my next car online, doesn't mean I hate dealers.

Craig,

I've aimed my comments squarely at the leadership of giant companies that fund these products. I'm in these meetings all the time -and it's not limited to top leadership either- they all instinctively "know" that shoppers hate dealers. They deduce (without scientific evidence) that a new product that speaks to "car shopper anxiety" is the missing key stone to eCommerce.

#NOT.

In 2015, I'm pounding the table trying to educate very intelligent people that hanging a shopping cart solution onto an automotive website is not what shoppers want.

Car Shoppers use the internet to prepare them for a productive dealer visit.

 

[craigh]

In 2015, I'm pounding the table trying to educate very intelligent people that hanging a shopping cart solution onto an automotive website is not what shoppers want.

I'd love to see the surveys to back this up.
I'm not suggesting that the entire industry wants it as a whole, but I've certainly met the people that do.

 

[joe.pistell]

I'd love to see the surveys to back this up.
I'm not suggesting that the entire industry wants it as a whole, but I've certainly met the people that do.

Spend time inside stores. Immerse yourself in research away from site creation. Read emails, chats, listen to calls. Shadow sales reps, sit with managers for a few weeks. The evidence is everywhere you look at nearly every store in the USA.

It's all right here:


This simple video I made reveals some critical blockers to ecommerce. Web design has a loooong way to go before ecommerce puts a dent into our universe.

 

[ed.brooks]

Spend time inside stores. Immerse yourself in research away from site creation. Read emails, chats, listen to calls. Shadow sales reps, sit with managers for a few weeks. The evidence is everywhere you look at nearly every store in the USA.

It's all right here:


That simple video I made reveals some critical blockers to ecommerce. Web design has a loooong way to go before ecommerce puts a dent into our universe.

Cute video @JoePistell BUT...
Everything in this video revolves around the status quo - You talked to salesmen that are dealing with shoppers that were using the current crop of websites. You talked to shoppers that were using the current crop of websites. The question is, is there anything BETTER?
Mind you, I don't think pure ecommerce is the answer and I agree with the premise that shoppers often arrive with more questions than answers. But the current crop of websites does a poor job of answering questions - they aren't designed to do that, they are designed to "just get em in" the door. And that is just fine with a lot of showroom staff -

*via @Joe Webb

 

[MotorWidget]

Joe, great video! The biggest reason dealers don't have a shopping cart button on their websites is because it's not legal. You must know that there are very strict and prohibitive laws (designed to protect smaller dealers I think) that prevent the sale of cars online.

 

[craigh]

That's a very regional statement ^
Doesn't apply where I am. Tesla is selling cars online.