As Sean Stapleton puts it, there have never been more channels available to consumers and sellers in the car-shopping process than there are right now.

What’s more, the amount of data — as well as the importance of accuracy and the transparency of that data — is sky high.

Although upwards of 90-plus percent of shoppers are influenced by the Web, another part of the story here is how they use it — and that certainly has evolved.

Stapleton, the vice president of sales and marketing at VinSolutions, said it’s not just a matter of determining how many shoppers turn to the Internet.  

“The real question probably should be, ‘What do you think those people are doing differently online than they did before?’” said Stapleton.

“Ten years ago, when I went online to research a car, there probably wasn’t as much transparency on price and transaction pricing,” he continued. “There probably wasn’t as many comments about the experience with the dealer and things like that.

“Now, I’m going online not only to find out, ‘Do I want the Chevy Malibu?’ but I want to know of my friends who had a Malibu, what their experience was like,” Stapleton said. “And then I want to go online and I want to see socially, all the other blogs or comments or things around the ownership experience — not only should I buy the car and what price should I buy it at, but does your Malibu last three years, five years, 10 years?

“Would your Malibu be a great car to give to your oldest child who might be a college grad? Therefore, I might be looking for safety ratings,” he continued.

Point is, he said, as a marketer, you have to make yourself and the information available in all the media channels that are out there for consumers — and manage that message you put out.  Make sure it’s consistent, transparent and involves what matters to the consumer.

“Marketing, to me, is not a one-way message,” he said. “The new form of marketing is open, honest, transparent and bi-directional. And not only that, making sure I’m covering all the channels.”

But in communicating with customers, Stapleton said, don’t just choose the channel that is convenient for you. Keep the customer’s wishes in mind.

“One of the biggest mistakes people make is they immediately default to going to a medium that’s easier for them, instead of following the lead of the customer or prospect,” Stapleton said.

He gives this example. A customer texts you to ask if your dealership has one of the new aluminum-body Ford F-150s available for a test drive. And your natural reaction might be to call that customer. But texting — not a phone call — is the channel the customer has chosen. It’s important to pay attention and respect that. In other words, follow the lead of the customer. 

Our expert panel continues in the digital and print editions of the Oct. 1 Auto Remarketing.

In our special section on Digital Trends, Tools & Strategies, you can find insight from Paul Seger of GE Capital Fleet Services — who talks about the tech-savvy approach dealers have taken in acquiring inventory — and Dale Pollak of vAuto, who discusses a new tool from Cox Automotive designed to boost online visibility for dealers' inventory by helping them improve their online listings.