PR & News Digital Dealer - Is it Back?

[craigh]

What's our take on Digital Dealer in 2026?

We have been going on and off again, but the last few years the ratio of vendors to dealers was quite heavy on the vendor side and we found it fairly unproductive.
This year I noticed the vendor pricing has increased substantially so we are once again trying to decide how to handle this.

They're also in Detroit this year which is new.
Anyone planning on being there?

 

[Ryan Everson]

What's our take on Digital Dealer in 2026?

We have been going on and off again, but the last few years the ratio of vendors to dealers was quite heavy on the vendor side and we found it fairly unproductive.
This year I noticed the vendor pricing has increased substantially so we are once again trying to decide how to handle this.

They're also in Detroit this year which is new.
Anyone planning on being there?

I personally wouldn’t expect dealer attendance to increase in Detroit unless they get a big influx of local Metro Detroit dealerships attendees because of the novelty of it being in their own backyard for the first time. It’s just not a great city for hosting a conference.

The exhibitor floor plan still looks a little empty too, so I would definitely be negotiating for a discount if you do choose to attend!

 

[craigh]

The exhibitor floor plan still looks a little empty too, so I would definitely be negotiating for a discount if you do choose to attend!

The ticket for a vendor employee to attend is $3500 and that's not with a booth - feels steep.

 

[Rob]

The ticket for a vendor employee to attend is $3500 and that's not with a booth - feels steep.

That’s nuts

 

[Chris Cachor]

The ticket for a vendor employee to attend is $3500 and that's not with a booth - feels steep.

That's a shakedown!

 

[Jeff Kershner]

The ticket for a vendor employee to attend is $3500 and that's not with a booth - feels steep.

WHAT? THAT'S NUTS. Find a dealer to represent.

 

[Cindy Parrish]

What's our take on Digital Dealer in 2026?

We have been going on and off again, but the last few years the ratio of vendors to dealers was quite heavy on the vendor side and we found it fairly unproductive.
This year I noticed the vendor pricing has increased substantially so we are once again trying to decide how to handle this.

They're also in Detroit this year which is new.
Anyone planning on being there?

 

[Cindy Parrish]

Right now Elite BDC does not plan to attend. The cost and location is a big factor!

 

[Chris Apostalides]

Is Digital Dealer back? In my opinion, no. The conference doesn't have an identity, and they can't seem to get out of their own way.

Will I attend? Probably!

I have been to the last 10, and the conference has had its ebbs and flows. The 2021 conference, after the zombie virus restrictions dwindled, was the best DD I can recall. By a lot!

The conference has progressively become smaller. Last year, it would have made more financial sense to go for one day and fly home. I do not think moving it to Detroit helps at all. If anything, it hinders attendance. They have kept vendor pricing the same as last year (no booth) at $3,500. Yes, I get they don't want vendors attending if they do not have a booth, so they inflate the cost, but $3,500 is astronomical for what you get in return. Also, as of last year, they stopped offering early bird pricing for vendors (no booth) and they are sticking with that model this year.

 

[Mitch Gallant]

With DrivingSales off the list these days it feels like a DigitalDealer carries into the reasonable choice category but by a sliver. To me it kinda carries the feeling of buying a car at an irreputable dealership just because they're the only one's who had the colour.