Independent dealers are seeing a tough used vehicle sales market in August, and face a bigger challenge, according to CNW Research’s Art Spinella…
1. In some regions of the country, used sales by Indies are soaring while in other parts of the country they are in the tank. Regardless of regional differences, Independents on the whole are on track to a nine percent decline in August.
2. What’s at the core of the problem? One might well be the typical outlets used by Independent dealers to market their vehicles.
3. Newspaper classified ads, local radio for the medium-size operations and high visibility on-street signage are on a downward path when it comes to attracting buyers. Independent dealers must change their approach to marketing just as new-car dealers have done.
4. In a CNW survey of nearly 200 former GM and Chrysler dealers, the vast majority struggled through the transition, but better than 80% are now operating a profitable used-car business.
5. Aside from increasing regulations from BHPH to signage, the marketing landscape is changing rapidly and in a way that will require expensive alterations in how Indies reach potential customers.
