- Jul 9, 2026
- 56
- 37
- Awards
- 3
- First Name
- Kenny
Colin, I’d keep AutoTrader and CarGurus in the conversation, but I’d be careful calling either one the winner based on lead count or closing percentage alone.
I went back through some of our dealership lead-source reports recently. In one period, two marketplaces were credited with the same number of sold deals, but the gross per copy was nowhere close. In another, a lot of the inquiries were concentrated on just a handful of lower-priced used VINs. That’s as much a stocking and pricing conversation as it is a lead-provider conversation.
If I’m reviewing the next renewal, I want to see the actual monthly bill against unique shoppers, shown appointments, DMS-matched sold units, and gross per copy. Break new and used apart, then look at the used side by price band and VIN. A stack of leads on one aggressively priced Jeep might represent different shoppers, but we still only have one Jeep to sell.
Erick makes a fair point about customers shopping several sites before they ever call or show up. That influence matters. But showing up somewhere in the shopping journey doesn’t automatically prove an additional sale, either. And whatever source the salesperson selects in the CRM isn’t necessarily the whole story.
For me, the real question is which providers are helping us retail the right inventory at a cost that pencils, not just which one sends the most leads.
I went back through some of our dealership lead-source reports recently. In one period, two marketplaces were credited with the same number of sold deals, but the gross per copy was nowhere close. In another, a lot of the inquiries were concentrated on just a handful of lower-priced used VINs. That’s as much a stocking and pricing conversation as it is a lead-provider conversation.
If I’m reviewing the next renewal, I want to see the actual monthly bill against unique shoppers, shown appointments, DMS-matched sold units, and gross per copy. Break new and used apart, then look at the used side by price band and VIN. A stack of leads on one aggressively priced Jeep might represent different shoppers, but we still only have one Jeep to sell.
Erick makes a fair point about customers shopping several sites before they ever call or show up. That influence matters. But showing up somewhere in the shopping journey doesn’t automatically prove an additional sale, either. And whatever source the salesperson selects in the CRM isn’t necessarily the whole story.
For me, the real question is which providers are helping us retail the right inventory at a cost that pencils, not just which one sends the most leads.
