Bridging the Trust Gap: How to Achieve Transparency and Profitability with Digital Desking

digital desking

Introduction The automotive retail industry is approaching a tipping point, facing a dilemma that centers on diverging preferences: how dealers want to sell and how buyers want to buy.  Traditionally, dealers have hesitated to fully embrace transparency, understandably fearing it might undermine profitability.  However, this mindset is increasingly at odds with the buyer’s demand for…

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The Essential Digital Finance Software Checklist for Automotive Digital Retailing

Digital finance software checklist

As dealers continue adapting to evolving customer expectations and the digitized car buying journey, the path to embracing a comprehensive digital retailing (DR) solution can seem complex and fraught with potential pitfalls. In its purest form, DR offers a comprehensive solution, enabling customers to self-direct their car buying process online. The entire transaction sequence, from…

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Digital Retailing: New Sales Opportunities, New Fraud Schemes

Digital Retailing: New Sales Opportunities, New Fraud Schemes

The automotive industry is undeniably undergoing a significant digital transformation. This evolution, accelerated by consumer preferences and technological advancements has opened a new frontier of sales opportunities for car dealers. The move towards digital path-to-purchase experiences and fully digitized transactions is more than just a trend—it’s the future of car buying.  However, as with all…

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Four Common Digital Retailing Disconnects

Retail Automotive Disconnects

The retail automotive industry, by choice or by force, has experienced an undeniable and irreversible shift toward digital retailing – adapting and evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of today’s consumers. What does this mean for dealers? It means buyers are always going to prefer to shop and transact on their own terms and your…

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How To Choose The Right Digital Finance Platform For Your Dealership

digital finance platform

There probably isn’t a dealer out there who hasn’t been approached with a dizzying array of shiny objects under the ‘Digital Retailing/Digital Finance Platform’ label, purporting to do anything from solving each friction point in the dealership sales and finance process to putting a man on the moon (well, the last one is not true,…

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Automotive Digital Retailing: What Dealers Should Know

photo with green effect - automotive digital retailing helping dealerships sell more cars

It’s the excitement of another deal made, funded, and delivered that ends with a sticker beside a salesperson’s name. Making deals and selling cars is what automotive retailers do best, but it is a process built by dealers for dealers that is a significant source of anxiety and dissatisfaction for most car buyers. Over the…

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Why Are Some Dealers in the ‘Back Seat’ Regarding DR?

Digital transformation barrers

Imagine someone walking into your dealership – perhaps a consultant or vendor – and suggesting that you are operating your dealership wrong. Immediately, you’d be fiercely defensive and most likely question their credibility, knowledge, and intentions. After all, your operations have been financially successful for years, even decades or generations. That is how a lot…

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Digital Retailing Benefits Dealers, Not Just Buyers

Benefits of digital transformation. Digital handshake

A good way to start answering the benefits of digital transformation is first to accept some truths about your customer. Offering a digital path-to-purchase experience increases the likelihood a shopper will buy from your dealership – 85% more likely according to the Cox Automotive Digitization-of-End-to-End-Retailing-Study. And when it comes to choosing a dealership, 83% of…

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What is Digital Retailing?

Connected retailing

It’s the excitement of another deal made, funded, and delivered that ends with a sticker beside a salesperson’s name.  Making deals and selling cars is what automotive retailers do best, but it is a process built by dealers for dealers that is a significant source of anxiety and dissatisfaction for most car buyers.  Over the…

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3 Reasons to Believe Digital Retailing Will Help Future Proof Your Business

modern retailing experience

The retail environment has been forever changed. The days of salespeople herding near the front of the dealership, waiting to ‘sell’ a car to the next information disadvantaged  ‘up’ are almost certainly in our rear view mirror.   Instead, informed  leads (digital walk-ins) will be looking for sales professionals to add value in a way that…

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Automotive Digital Retailing: Upsetting The Status Quo Has Its Challenges

eLEND-Integrations

Dealers everywhere have found themselves navigating a new normal…a new normal accelerated by the pandemic. But it is important to understand that the new way to retail digitally isn’t a COVID-19, Millennial or Gen-Z-only conversation. It’s for anyone with a smartphone who desires a more convenient, simplified car buying experience, regardless of economic reality –…

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