But first, a story:

At Rimrock Subaru, my team and I faced a challenge familiar to many dealers: plateauing sales. For two years, we tried everything to break 80 cars a month. Nothing worked—until we rethought how we operated.

We had to ask some hard questions about how our showroom and our online presence were running:

• How long are customers spending with the sales team?
• Is there a disconnect between what they see online and what they’re told in-store?
• Are simple deals tying up the sales and finance managers?
• Is the sales process transparent and easy for customers to follow?
• Are salespeople presenting aftermarket products 100% of the time?
• What are the most common frustrations the sales team faces?

At the same time, we had just launched WebBuy on our website and were floored to see that the deals coming in online were not only faster and easier but more profitable as well.

It was a no-brainer to start driving as much traffic to our website as possible. We used strategies like adding QR codes to direct mail and even in our service drive. Then we took the next step: bringing digital retailing into the showroom.

By doing so, we didn’t just break our plateau—we smashed it. Today, we’re selling 120 cars a month, a 50% increase, and we’ve doubled profitability.

It’s been almost a year since the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) introduced the Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Rule, setting out to bring greater transparency and fairness to car buying. Although the rule’s original July 2024 effective date has been postponed, the FTC hasn’t slowed down its enforcement actions against dealerships that engage in payment packing or inconsistent pricing practices.

The pressure from fines and regulatory scrutiny isn’t the only challenge. With increasing news coverage around these enforcement actions, consumers are now more aware than ever of deceptive practices in the auto industry, expecting consistent, transparent pricing whether they’re browsing online or visiting a showroom. To meet these expectations and secure compliance, dealerships need solutions designed to keep them CARS-compliant across all sales channels.

With WebBuy, you can manage transparent pricing, ensure consistency across platforms, and protect your dealership from regulatory risks—all while improving customer satisfaction and profitability.

In case you haven't heard, prequalification is by far the most effective CTA with lead capture rates up to 60%. But it isn't just about getting people to enter their name and phone number. Car dealerships that embrace prequalification tools and soft credit pulls are gaining a competitive edge by increasing conversion rates, improving customer satisfaction, and boosting profitability.

One reason we are so passionate about creating a way for dealerships to compete in online car sales, is that digital retailing is not only a way to get more leads, but it is also better for your business and your bottom line.

As the automotive industry evolves, dealerships that embrace digital retailing solutions are not only meeting modern buyer expectations but also achieving higher profitability. Recent J.D. Power U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) studies and Power Information Network (PIN) insights confirm that digital retail customers bring in more profit per transaction than traditional retail customers. With competition heating up, dealers who delay their digital transition risk being left behind.

In today’s digital world, customers expect a seamless experience, whether they’re researching online, visiting a dealership, or closing a deal. Unfortunately, the automotive industry often struggles to provide this unified journey, leading to what we call a fragmented customer experience. This disconnect can lead to lost sales, frustrated customers, and weakened brand loyalty.

The automotive industry's digital landscape is evolving rapidly, yet many dealer websites remain stuck in an outdated approach. Despite a growing trend towards online car buying, most dealer websites still rely on fragmented, non-transactional call-to-actions (CTAs) that serve as mere lead capture tools rather than comprehensive digital retail solutions. This gap highlights a significant opportunity for innovation and improvement in dealer website functionalities.

Why Dealers Need a Robust Digital Retailing Strategy:

In recent years, the automotive market has seen unprecedented challenges and transformations. The COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and fluctuating consumer demand created a seller's market where dealerships could sell vehicles with minimal effort due to high demand and limited inventory. However, 2024 is signaling a significant shift towards a buyer’s market, necessitating a strategic pivot for car dealers.

Like it or not, Carvana has revolutionized the car-buying experience with its focus on convenience, transparency, quality assurance, and customer-friendly policies. However, traditional dealerships can still compete and even surpass Carvana with the right tools -- without sacrificing their unique way of doing business. The WebBuy Omni Sales Platform is designed to help dealers do just that. Here's how WebBuy enables dealers to beat Carvana at their own game by excelling in these four key areas.

In the competitive world of car sales, every lead counts. As a dealership owner or manager, you know that converting website visitors into leads is crucial for your success. But do you know which call-to-actions (CTAs) are the most effective at driving those conversions? We’ve analyzed the data and have some valuable insights to share.

In the automotive industry, the relationship between car manufacturers (OEMs) and their dealer franchisees has traditionally been simple: "You build 'em, and we sell 'em." As the digital age transforms vehicle shopping and purchasing, a pressing question arises: should OEMs dictate which dealer management systems (DMS), retailing software, and website platforms their franchisees use? Here, we explore both sides of this debate, with a focus on the dealer perspective.