This is a chart that tracks "waves" of users coming on board to any new technology. Although nearly everyone has a smart phone, showrooming is just entering the "Early Majority" phase (IMO).
Thoughts:
- ---Ignore the shoppers frequent use of the smartphone at P.O.S. everywhere they go = Fail.
- ---Leave the shopper alone on the lot = FAIL.
- ---Ignore the importance of YOUR mobile website in the final hour (while they're at your competitors lot) = Fail.
Lastly, you're not alone.
All big ticket retailers are under siege.
Joe, I'm surprised it's taken this long to hit the "early majority" phase.
Several months ago I was shopping for my next vehicle. It was the first time in years that I used the "normal" process for shopping and purchasing a vehicle. I won't get into all the details but it was an interesting experience as during the process I would catch myself being a statistic.
I did quite a bit of online research by visiting the OEM websites, Edmunds, Dealership websites, and a few forums. I physically visited only 2 dealers and caught myself "showrooming" at the last one, where I made my purchase. As I was in the middle of showrooming, it reminded me on how many times this happens each day on the showroom floor and the sales person has no idea it's happening -
as mine didn't.
Not only did I visit the dealers website that I was currently at, but searched the inventory of a few of the other local Ford dealers. I wasn't necessarily shopping price as much as I was looking for the availability of different color options. Luckily for the dealer, not one local dealer had the color I would have considered leaving for.
This had me thinking...
When a customer is at the dealership and showrooming, where exactly do most consumers go?
- Current dealers website (using it as a tool)?
- Dealers website of the competition (looking for price and inventory)
- Classified website like Cars.com, AutoTrader or CarGurus?
What steps where taken to find or access these websites... (Google) Search? Direct URL? Mobile "check-in" app?
What a CRUCIAL time for the influence of online reviews -- What's your dealers reputation look like via local mobile search?
All these questions...
What if we could
change the message, CTA or even incentivize the customer based on their location, perhaps while standing in the showroom of the competition and visiting your dealerships mobile website...
"Thanks for visiting ABC mobile website, we see that you're currently at XYZ Dealership - we commend you leave now and come visit us, only 15 minutes down the road. Oh, and here's a small gift for stopping in and test driving the vehicle your most interested in"
- something like that.
Maybe you wouldn't even need any type of GEO tracking capabilities for this to be effective. Keep your message or incentive on the mobile VDP only.
Whatcha think Joe?