After CARS: To delete or to NOT delete.

[DogbertBH]

Right now the main issue for dealers is most likely going to be their already depleted inventory getting even smaller.

This leaves us with a VERY limited amount of vehicles to show customers.

My standard answer to the question "How many do you have?" is "How many do you NEED??"

They have ALWAYS said "One". But these customers, for whatever reason, need to know you have more on your lot than just one.

Do you delete the cars as you sell off two of your last three?

OR do you leave them in place to get the leads and hopefully sell what you have as well as have that name on file for when you DO have the cars you need in place?

My own thought is; As long as I have ONE that they can see and test drive, regardless of the trim level, I want them to come in to see me - especially if I can swap or order something for them.

What do you think?

 

[Alex Snyder]

Be honest.

 

[Jeff Kershner]

A suggestion: Take the time to get your in-bound inventory pre-loaded on the site or in front of you at all times. Let the customer know that the vehicle is in bound and should be arriving at the dealer. Mean while, have they test driven this vehicle what is it about this vehicle they like so much? ... might just be a used car shopper and you didn't know it.

 

[VJnator]

An updated online inventory and real-time pull-out of sold cars comes back to one positive occurrence - Reputation Management. When you show cars, which were sold 6 days ago and the customer calls or (more badly) comes in and finds out from another sales person "Oh that car was sold last weekend", what do you think the prospect is thinking about your organization - "...when they are not able to just pull a car, how will they be able to handle my paperwork...?", etc -- you'll get the idea. On the other, when you can honestly state "yes WYSIWYG (for our friends not familiar on that windows abbreviation "what you see is what you get"), it send a message to the prospect "we care and want you to be informed - without any tricks".
It reminds me almost on a greyhound race...the dogs are chasing in the race not really a real rabbit...it is a freakin' cloth the race organization is hooking up and then sends off to the chase. I believe, playing the dogs advocate they would rather find at the finish line a juicy piece of meat. Same with the customer, when he thinks he is chasing the copper bronze Mustang V8 and only to find out arriving at the dealership a plain Jane white Mustang V6 is left - I guarantee this customer will be barking as well.

 

[JohnScott]

They have ALWAYS said "One". But these customers, for whatever reason, need to know you have more on your lot than just one.

IMHO what the customer is really asking is how soon do I have to get there. If you say you have 3, or give the impression that you have 3 by having pics of inventory that has already been sold on your website you're just giving them a reason to put off coming in.

 

[danoneil]

We are an authorized Honda dealer, so we show every vehicle Honda makes regardless if we have it in stock or not.
If we do not have it, we can get it , it's on order or it's in transit.

In my store alone,we had 900 leads this month. Maybe 2% of the leads had any problem with how we represent what is or isn't available. You need the lead, you want the lead.

It's usually the 2% want the odd ball vehicle . Honda Element is an example that comes to mind.

 

[JohnScott]

We are an authorized Honda dealer, so we show every vehicle Honda makes regardless if we have it in stock or not.
If we do not have it, we can get it , it's on order or it's in transit.

Correct me if Im wrong, but what I think is being discussed here is showing a specific car as being in stock when YOU know it really isnt. I dont think they're talking about having an image representing all the models available to the customer from the manufacturer.

Its an issue of integrity.

How do you know that person isnt interested in looking at 4 "ghost" cars, what are you going to do say? You sold all of them yesterday?

People can tell when someone is lying, and they are already looking for the lie when they go to a dealer, some might say they expect it. From what I can tell the industry has been working really hard to change that image.

They're either going to think you're being dishonest, or a poor business person because you dont know your own inventory, or cant keep your website up to date.

 

[danoneil]

John, you want the lead. It's that simple. If you look at our website, www.heritagehondabaltimore.com , it says right at the top of new cars, "in stock or available to order" . Nothing dishonest about it.

 

[JohnScott]

John, you want the lead. It's that simple. If you look at our website, www.heritagehondabaltimore.com , it says right at the top of new cars, "in stock or available to order" . Nothing dishonest about it.

I didnt mean for you to take it as if I was implying you were being dishonest. I think what this thread was originally about was leaving cars on your website that were already sold and not listing them as sold, giving the buyer the impression that you had them in stock.

Im going back to the original post.

 

[Jason L]

I do agree with VJnator that in Internet sales that it is very important to maintain a good reputation. Customers hate feeling like they've been baited and switched. However, 82% of online shoppers don't buy the original vehicle that they inquired about. I don't think it is fair to the customer to have vehicles that sold a week ago posted on your site but maybe a vehicle that sold 2-3 days ago.