In today’s competitive automotive market, dealerships can’t afford to overlook key statistics that reveal what car buyers expect from their shopping and purchasing experience. From digital retailing to customer satisfaction, these stats underscore the importance of adapting to consumer demand. Let’s dive into the 5 most critical stats every dealer needs to know to stay ahead.

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.

With new vehicle prices dropping for the 10th consecutive month in July, car buyers are gaining leverage, especially as high loan rates continue to shape the market. For dealers, this shift presents both challenges and opportunities. One critical area where dealers can maintain and even boost profitability is in the Finance and Insurance (F&I) department. WebBuy, a dealer-centric digital retailing platform, empowers dealers to maximize F&I gross by giving them full control over the financing process.

The automotive industry's digital landscape is evolving rapidly, yet many dealer websites remain stuck in an outdated approach.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.

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.