Online Shopping to Online Buying

[craigh]

My main take-away is distilled by these five words, "at least a subset are". Most dealerships can't exist catering to a narrow subset of the buying population - most, not all.

They aren't catering to only this subset. Dealers can offer more than one type of transaction, they just have to wrap their heads around that.
Keep an eye on this guy

Carvana has carved out a significant niche catering to the consumer that HATES the current dealership sales process, but most (again, most) dealerships aren't ready to jump in with both feet.

I've said it before, but maybe it bears repeating: Carvana isn't after customers who hate dealerships.
Just because chocolate ice cream is better, doesn't mean I hate vanilla ice cream.
When I have this conversation with my younger coworkers and peers we almost always agree that purchasing online is better, but not one of them has ever said they hate or dislike the dealership process. Buying online is just easier and more straight forward.

You bring up a very important point @craigh, moving to a 100% eCommerce model (or even a slightly more transactional model) requires either a one-price or reduced-negotiation pricing structure. Many dealers struggle with making this change - change is hard!

Agreed fully. Change is hard, but in this case I'm starting to see it as a necessity.
I think it will be a very slow transition, but I expect to see it move much quicker once the tools are readily available.

We're marking progress here

 

[joe.pistell]

Your observation:

...I don't think every dealership will have all 3 anytime soon. Some dealers are going all in on online, some are going hybrid and some are going full traditional.

Created by your belief:

Car dealers may just have to stop selling cars they way they're used to doing it.

Craig,
"Beware the ways your beliefs can color everything you see". Re-read Josh Cole's words then look at your reply. He's clearly asking for a multi-solution (e.g. all 3). Re-read my work, I'm 100% aligned with Josh. We're aimed at solving the hybrid opportunities that Digital Retailing presents.


Enjoy your long journey of discovery.
Joe

 

[craigh]

Craig,
"Beware the ways your beliefs can color everything you see". Re-read Josh Cole's words then look at your reply. He's clearly asking for a multi-solution (e.g. all 3). Re-read my work, I'm 100% aligned with Josh. We're aimed at solving the hybrid opportunities that Digital Retailing presents.

Enjoy your long journey of discovery.
Joe

My DR Summary:
Shopping carts are as old as the internet. If shoppers wanted an automotive shopping cart solution, we'd had them a loooong time ago. Look how eBaymotors empowered the shopper, yet failed. Why? Because shoppers find the internet experience as a giant cluster f**k. Shoppers discover quickly that the internet can't help them buy a car, shopper's use the 'net to prepare them for the dealer visit. IOW, the dealer experience is superior to the internet experience (sooo many ppl miss this simple fact of life).

100% aligned?
I disagree. You're saying that shoppers find the internet experience a "giant cluster f**k" and that "the internet can't help them buy a car".
Josh is saying that his customers want to use the internet, some even start to finish.

You're saying the dealer experience is superior, Josh is saying "But the whole time, using the same process that the customer would have used online."

I think maybe you use too many generalities (ie: "shoppers") and that muddies your point.

I agree with Josh 100% and wouldn't disagree with a single point he made.

You, on the other hand, have been posting this Four Horseman video and trying to make the point that Brick and Mortar stores are the new thing in eCommerce - I hope you watched the updated video where he clearly pointed out that he was wrong and that it's going the opposite way with companies like WalMart going to an Amazon style online experience. This is critical - you posted that video again on Monday as if it's relevant but I don't believe it is.

Online sales isn't a Marketing tool and it's not about creating ups - online sales is about selling cars online.
That is what I am saying. That is what @Alexander Lau is saying and I think that's what Josh is saying.
I don't think that's what you're saying, but maybe it's what you mean. I cannot get past your shopping cart comments - they're black and white saying that shoppers don't want an automotive shopping cart solution.

Please explain so I can further my journey.

 

[ed.brooks]

100% aligned?
I disagree. You're saying that shoppers find the internet experience a "giant cluster f**k" and that "the internet can't help them buy a car".
Josh is saying that his customers want to use the internet, some even start to finish.

You're saying the dealer experience is superior, Josh is saying "But the whole time, using the same process that the customer would have used online."

I think maybe you use too many generalities (ie: "shoppers") and that muddies your point.

I agree with Josh 100% and wouldn't disagree with a single point he made.

You, on the other hand, have been posting this Four Horseman video and trying to make the point that Brick and Mortar stores are the new thing in eCommerce - I hope you watched the updated video where he clearly pointed out that he was wrong and that it's going the opposite way with companies like WalMart going to an Amazon style online experience. This is critical - you posted that video again on Monday as if it's relevant but I don't believe it is.

Online sales isn't a Marketing tool and it's not about creating ups - online sales is about selling cars online.
That is what I am saying. That is what @Alexander Lau is saying and I think that's what Josh is saying.
I don't think that's what you're saying, but maybe it's what you mean. I cannot get past your shopping cart comments - they're black and white saying that shoppers don't want an automotive shopping cart solution.

Please explain so I can further my journey.

"Galloway says pure play retail - whether pure e-commerce or pure brick-and-mortar – is dying". Because of the "High Involvement" nature of an automobile purchase, I think that car sales will tend to tilt closer to the brick-and-mortar end of the spectrum -

 

[Viracocha]

They aren't catering to only this subset. Dealers can offer more than one type of transaction, they just have to wrap their heads around that.
Keep an eye on this guy

Carasco is a loudmouth who can't keep a job. Shameless self promoter who is really good at talking but isn't so good at walking.

 

[joe.pistell]

I have a feeling that you think that selling cars online is a marketing tool?

Yes and no. Just like Josh said Sorry Craig, it's not you, nuance is frustrating*.


*Here's something I learned from this thread. Communicating nuance is nearly impossible on forums & SM. Its human nature to typecast ppl once you get a read on their beliefs.

 

[joe.pistell]

Uncle Joe's Nuance 101

My DR Summary:
Shopping carts are as old as the internet. If shoppers wanted an automotive shopping cart solution, we'd had them a loooong time ago. Look how eBaymotors empowered the shopper, yet failed. Why? Because shoppers find the internet experience as a giant cluster f**k. Shoppers discover quickly that the internet can't help them buy a car, shopper's use the 'net to prepare them for the dealer visit. IOW, the dealer experience is superior to the internet experience (sooo many ppl miss this simple fact of life).

Craig,
The paragraph you chose you read it as a fixed belief, re-read it as`an observation. It's a high level design challenge describing to what's needed to take Digital Retailing from .001% of sales to ___% of sales.

My Digital Retailing observations are all over the forums.
"If our websites are so great, where are all the shopping carts?"

 

[joe.pistell]

Another Clue:
Shoppers are a very selfish lot. They'll do whatever is best for them. Shopper's participation rate tells us if we hit gold... or not.

Today's Digital Retailing solution is presented to shoppers and a fraction of the car buying audience uses it. To grow Digital Retailing, you'll need to address all the reasons why so few shoppers want to use it.


p.s. Where is Michia's links to see his product?

 

[Cullen C]

Another Clue:
Shoppers are a very selfish lot. They'll do whatever is best for them. Shopper's participation rate tells us if we hit gold... or not.

Today's Digital Retailing solution is presented to shoppers and a fraction of the car buying audience uses it. To grow Digital Retailing, you'll need to address all the reasons why so few shoppers want to use it.


p.s. Where is Michia's links to see his product?

CarMax owns a fraction of the used car market currently, probably somewhere around 1.5 - 2%. That equates to around 650,000 - 700,000 used cars a year.

Even if there are only fractions willing to transact online those are attractive numbers.

 

[craigh]

I think Josh did the best job of encapsulating the whole situation.
If we all agree with Josh then we're in agreement.