I’m not here to tell you your dealership needs to embrace social media. Every dealer’s heard it; most dealers have come to believe it; and many are already actively engaging customers in a variety of social channels. I’m here because out there, it’s getting more and more competitive by the day. Customers are gaining more […] [Read More]

KAR Auction Services’ business unit ADESA announced this week the new fee structure for open sales on DealerBlock. Those using the company’s 24/7 online marketplace for bid-now events or buy-now inventory should expect to find the fees, in effect for the fourth quarter, to be simpler to calculate and, in some cases, lower. Stephane St-Hilaire, […] [Read More]

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 […] [Read More]

A new Web application is available for dealers finding they've missed sales opportunities by passing over potential customers while they’re on the lot due to too much foot traffic or visiting after hours. Cell My Ride, a lead generating tool, can be incorporated as a window decal on vehicles that customers can either scan with […] [Read More]

Haystak Digital Marketing announced this week its partnership with vAuto to integrate their search marketing campaigns for shared users. The combination of vAuto’s pricing data along with Haystak’s inventory tool links pay-per-click ads to the attributes and retailing objectives for specific used vehicles. Duncan Scarry, the founder of Haystak, commented on the integration of the […] [Read More]

It’s hard to keep track of all online sales leads — and it is especially hard to discern which shoppers are ready to buy. AutoLoop has launched a new tool it says alerts sales personnel when ready-to-buy prospects are generated from dealership Web traffic, in real-time. The company’s Essentials product now includes what it’s calling Instant Online Leads.  “As […] [Read More]

Customers interested in the Bel Air Auto Auction and the Tallahassee Auto Auction will have a new auction tool available next month. BSCAmerica, the parent company of the two auctions, has announced the forthcoming launch of its mobile app, which will allow dealers to view auction information, perform searches and make bids to purchase vehicles […] [Read More]

A few months ago, Used Car Week began rolling out its social media plan, including the introduction of our official conference hashtags. And if you read this post on Used Car Week’s “Behind the Scenes” blog summarizing that plan, you may still be recovering from laughter fits, courtesy of this Jimmy Fallon clip. (So are we, by the […] [Read More]

Gubagoo has announced its new phone-lead generating platform. Integrated into the company’s communications platforms, TalkSmart uses the customer’s communications from dealership websites to give them a call if they wish to speak to a live person. The Gubagoo agents — available at all hours of the day — can speak with customers, if they choose to speak […] [Read More]

Dealership intelligence platform provider String Automotive highlighted that the latest enhancement to its dealer positioning system (DPS) now integrates rich demographic and psychographic information drawn from Experian Automotive’s Auto Market DNA database. String Automotive explained the dealer positioning system now can empower dealers to get a full picture of what is happening in their market […] [Read More]