Auto/Mate Dealership Systems announced this week the full integration of its AMPS Dealership Management System with yet another vendor, providing real-time data exchange between the two systems. Dealer-FX is the most recent vendor to integrate its automotive retail marketing and software solutions with AMPS as part of Auto/Mate’s Open/Mate program. Dealer-FX offers auto dealers service […] [Read More]

Automotive digital marketing company Strathcom Media recently promoted a new way for Canadian dealerships to increase their online exposure. With its new syndicated data service, the company says dealers can  “increase the online exposure of their inventory without increasing their budgets.” The Used Cars Canada (UCC) Network (usedcarscanada.com), allows dealerships to post their vehicle inventory […] [Read More]

Reynolds and Reynolds revealed an acquisition for the second time this week on Thursday. This time, the company announced its documents services division acquired Virginia-based Orlando Business Systems, which provides business forms to dealerships. Terms of the acquisition were not released. “Orlando Business Systems has built a solid presence in serving automobile dealerships with business […] [Read More]

You probably know that 50 percent  of your new-car buyers and 59 percent of your pre-owned buyers found your dealership online. Your online vendors are likely bringing you reports and presentations justifying all of the money they are charging your dealership to attract those buyers online.  These reports show an alphabet soup of metrics (“SRPs”, […] [Read More]

Identifying dealership assets, and generating more revenue — those are among the goals of a new product introduced by Dealer Live this week. The company says its new automotive BDC is designed to help dealership management identify dealership assets, maximize revenue-generating opportunities, build customer loyalty and increase sales initiatives by pulling information from various sources. […] [Read More]

Sirius XM Radio has officially launched its Service Lane program that aims to build on the momentum of the SiriusXM Pre-Owned Vehicle program while providing participating dealers an extra selling point for their service shops and a chance to drive customer loyalty. Service Lane offers a free two-month subscription to SiriusXM for qualifying customers who […] [Read More]

Auto dealers may find a new avenue for reaching nationwide customer pools, with an announcement this week by eBay Motors. The company has launched a fixed-rate, national subscriptions program it says can enable small and mid-size dealerships to reach millions of car shoppers. With the subscription program, dealers can leverage a consistent monthly online sales […] [Read More]

Social media, third-party online car buying sites, dealership websites, YouTube — all examples of Web-based outlets an increasing number of consumers are turning to when in the market for a new vehicle. And automakers are responding to these changing consumer shopping dynamics. According to PwC’s Autofacts Analyst Note for August, automakers are investing more time, […] [Read More]

Ask a dealer or general manager where most of their leads come from. “Newspaper,” some will say, and still others, “Radio.” Occasionally, a dealer cites their own website or credits an online classified site like AutoTrader or Kijiji Autos. Most likely, no one will say “a pediatrician’s office” or, “minivans at the stop light by […] [Read More]

With more and more consumers taking to their computers to find their next ride, which automaker is causing the most buzz? According to the July Social Buzz Report from Phoenix Marketing International’s Automotive Practice, consumers were talking about Ford the most as they participated in online conversation during the car search process. In fact, Phoenix […] [Read More]