Dealerships Are Going Digital In 2022
If your dealership hasn’t begun the process to change from traditional in-house to include online sales, you’ll be late to the party and your local competitors who have added the option for internet sales will have a very good sales year in 2022.
Car buyers want the same simplicity that the shopping juggernaut Amazon offers however instead of products, they want to buy a car and finalize the financing by sitting in front of their computer or on their smartphone. Forcing consumers who prefer online sales to come into your dealership will result in those car buyers going elsewhere.
Automotive Dealer Marketing & Sales Trends
Over the past two years while the world has been dealing with Covid-19, the automotive industry has had to change the way their not only market their dealerships but also how vehicles are offered for sale. Many automotive dealers cut their marketing budgets substantially to make up for losses from lack of sales.
Now that people are returning back to work, many are ready to purchase a new vehicle however the thought of sitting in a showroom is unappealing to them. During shut-downs, many Americans used online shopping services to have essentials delivered rather than going to stores. A large portion of people who signed up for delivery services, continue to use them rather than physically going shopping on their own. The ease of ordering online has become the norm and this is why dealerships need to realize the way they used to sell cars will not produce the same results prior to the pandemic.
2022 Sales Strategies For Automotive Dealers
Stop trying to lure masses of people into your dealership and instead invest your time into improving your online options for buying a new or used vehicle. Car shoppers want to shorten the amount of time they spend sitting across from a dealer sales person and they want to skip the finance haggle process all-together since many credit providers offer car loan approvals online.
Allow Car Buyers To Purchase Vehicles Online
More than 60% of in-market car buyers prefer to shop online for products so why not offer them exactly what they want? Consumers are highly educated because of the internet. All of the information shoppers needed or wanted to know in year’s past required a visit to the dealership however with online access readily available to everyone, majority now do all of their research before they contact a dealership about a specific vehicle.
Car buyers want to know what they are getting and how much they are paying withing have to sit face-to-face with a sales person. Majority of consumers do not want to negotiate, they just want to know how much it’s going to cost them and whether they can afford the monthly payment or not if they opt to use financing.
Show The Real Price Of The Vehicle
Wonder why automotive companies like Carvana and CarMax do so well these days? They provide car buyers the true price of the vehicle so shoppers know exactly what the vehicle costs versus OEM dealerships who tend to use smoke and mirrors. Confusing consumers when it comes to the final price of the vehicle will only frustrate them.
Dealerships who are still using old school sales tactics are going to lose out on the sale. Car buyers are tired of being frustrated by sales people who claim they are doing everything they can to get you the best price possible. Stop haggling and give them the real price.
Speed Up The Showroom Sales Process
It’s not a secret that car buyers loathe spending an entire day at a dealership to buy a vehicle, we’re sure this complaint is reflected in online reviews about your dealership. The new norm should consist of getting the potential car buyer in and out of the dealership within an hour, two at the absolute most.
Dealerships will soon start to feel the pinch from holding people in their showrooms because car buyers are growing tired and becoming more annoyed with this practice. While a small fraction of shoppers don’t mind it, the new generation of car buyers do. They are accustomed to fast transaction due to the internet making everything they need accessible.