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Automotive Digital Retailing - Who offers a full solution for dealerships?

Also -- having a hard time justifying the cost and expense.

Venders can say that Dealer X "sold" 15 sales via their program... but X probably would have sold those 15 without their "online website transaction program button widget" installed on their site. And, the dealer has to deal with mistakes in the data displayed to the customer -- which causes a sense of mistrust when the customer completes the transaction (usually in the store).

I am just so sick of everyone saying that the online transaction model is here. Dealers sign up and "buy in" -- but all it amounts to is the same market share sales, with no incremental business added for the expense -- just another additional expense to add to our budget. But i'll be damn, it looks good on the internet ROI report!
 
Well then, what are we paying the vendors for? And, shouldn't then vendor get the same type of guarantees from their data providers?

The vendors should, but they don't. The technological world is so stitched together I don't think anyone has outright purity of data anymore…. not in the car biz at least.

Also -- having a hard time justifying the cost and expense.

I am just so sick of everyone saying that the online transaction model is here. Dealers sign up and "buy in" -- but all it amounts to is the same market share sales, with no incremental business added for the expense -- just another additional expense to add to our budget. But i'll be damn, it looks good on the internet ROI report!

I don't disagree with your opinion. But I pick my technology like I pick my women: the one I like best! You ain't gonna fix human psychology Drew.
 
I am just so sick of everyone saying that the online transaction model is here. Dealers sign up and "buy in" -- but all it amounts to is the same market share sales, with no incremental business added for the expense -- just another additional expense to add to our budget. But i'll be damn, it looks good on the internet ROI report!

Correct Drew. Putting a shopping cart (DR) on your website does not increase sales. Yes, it can make it easier for someone to buy a vehicle from you (most actually make it more confusing and numbers online don't always match the numbers they get after the credit decision comes back), but as Drew states, if I find a car that I want to buy from you, I'm going to buy it regardless of how the current process is. You have the car I want, or need.

Driving additional new sales requires marketing and CTAs that inspire a purchase BEFORE your checkout product becomes a factor.

DR today is putting the shopping cart before the horse.
 
Correct Drew. Putting a shopping cart (DR) on your website does not increase sales. Yes, it can make it easier for someone to buy a vehicle from you (most actually make it more confusing and numbers online don't always match the numbers they get after the credit decision comes back), but as Drew states, if I find a car that I want to buy from you, I'm going to buy it regardless of how the current process is. You have the car I want, or need.

Driving additional new sales requires marketing and CTAs that inspire a purchase BEFORE your checkout product becomes a factor.

DR today is putting the shopping cart before the horse.

:thinker: then why would anyone buy your product?
 
It would also be interesting to see regional differences. There's some clear concentrations on Google Trends around digital retailing.

One huge issue is integration to advertising. Without that, it cannot possibly drive additional sales.

This presents another big problem: does the transparency of digital retailing help or hurt the issue of compressing margins?

Skipping the test drive removes a massive emotional connection to that vehicle and dealership. Most customers have questions early and often within the long term and complicated process of choosing their next vehicle. In the US, nearly everyone still finds the test drive incredibly valuable in making that final decision.

But... there is also huge customer interest around buying a car online. Regardless of how we feel, customers are curious enough to be searching.

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What Kind Of Solutions do you guys need?

I use to work with Haystak Digital Marketing which was replaced by Dealer.com when Cox Automotive bought them out but can offer you some of the same services.

Campaigns We Work With:


Brand/ regionals Campaigns - Target People searching for your dealership Locally



New Car Make/Model Campaigns - Goes after people searching for a specific make/model - ads will take them to your inventory page of that specific page and model.


Used Cars Make/Model - Same as new.


Generic Used cars- this is more for people searching for terms like Used trucks for sale, used cars for sale etc… It can also be customized to target people who are searching for cars by price. Ex: Toyota for sale under 10k


Competitor campaigns - Buy out your competitors


Retargeting for Google and Facebook


Dynamic Campaign- Currently in developments, this campaign would take your inventory feed and create ads out of it and send the users to the VDP.

These campaigns can also be transformed into Spanish targeting campaigns if your dealership is located in a region with a high Hispanic population.

Let me know if you need help.

Best Regards

Cesar






What companies in our industry either offer or are working towards a full Digital Retail / Online Vehicle Purchase solution or service for dealerships (and their website) that can handle the full transaction from beginning to end?

This thread will list and link to all the companies in our industry that offer either a COMPLETE Buy Online solution or have most of the functionality and are working towards a complete Buy Online solution.

List of current companies providing a Digital Retail solution for car dealerships so far:

Know of Digital Retailing service provider that's not listed here? Please add to the list in the comments and I'll have it added to the full list above.


Update 8/7/2016 - Removed GM's Shop-Click-Drive as I clean up this list a bit to include only 3rd Party Platforms that are working towards true BUY ONLINE from beginning to end.

Update 7/31/2018 - Added Roadster to the list.

Update 9/21/2018 DriveItNow is now truPayments
 
This is about digital retailing, not digital marketing.
Selling cars online.

Also, I recommend everyone start their journey on DealerRefresh here:
https://forum.dealerrefresh.com/threads/rules-to-read-and-follow-please-read.4713/
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