What started as a banner year for the automotive industry,
now has many manufacturers seeing second quarter as a real ride. April’s sales numbers (under the influence of the Coronavirus) hit the automotive industry below the belt. Some of the leading manufacturers reported major slumps.
Toyota dropped 55.7%., Mazda dropped 44.5%, Subaru dropped 46.6% in new car sales April year over year.
These types of numbers are difficult to turn around without addressing the new way of doing business. Remember back in the day when newspaper sold cars. Then there was radio and cable.
They all took a back seat to digital over a decade ago, which the industry has been using as a lead generation for a decade and more. The digital demand just got bigger and better for the industry, and even more so for the consumer. The virus didn’t stop the need for buyers to purchase a vehicle, or to turn in a lease. Those were the needs. Add to that the wants of a brand new car that have been driven by media and the industry will have to fight hard to meet any of its goals for 2020. That’s what makes digital retail even more important to address consumers. Today’s consumer no longer has to run from dealer to dealer to review the car of their dreams. They currently are doing 85% of their car shopping online. Online car shopping changes how we purchase a new or pre-owned car going forward. The ease of digital for the consumer will create a more efficient way for the consumer and the dealer to work together.
This also allows for efficiency, which benefits the consumer. ShopSmartAutos.com features over 6 million in automotive inventory that can be purchased online, as well as purchase an extended car warranty on any pre-owned vehicle through WarranTchimp.com. The warranty site offers an easy, money saving alternative to purchasing an extended car warranty by doing it yourself online. The online shopper loves the warranty program, because there is no pressure, phone calls from persistent reps and major paperwork. They have simplified the site to the ease of booking an airline ticket. The industry and consumers may benefit long term from this pandemic, as it has forced consumers to look to online car shopping which will reduce costs from manufacturers and dealers, providing a more efficient solution to consumers.
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