With tariffs rising, inventory shrinking, and affordability tightening, 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for independent dealers.
This special sponsored episode of Auto Remarketing Podcast breaks down how shifting market forces are impacting non-franchise auto dealers and what they can do to adapt. From sourcing smarter to building trust with transparency, this conversation offers practical, experience-backed strategies to help dealers stay competitive and profitable in today’s challenging environment.
Aaron Hancock, who is Director of Product Management for Automotive with Frazer and Dealer Car Search, offers multiple takeaways, including:
• Understand What’s Shifting: Learn how rising tariffs, interest rates, and changing shopper behavior are reshaping the landscape for non-franchise dealers.
• Build Trust with Transparency: Get strategies for positioning your dealership as a stable, honest source in an uncertain market.
• Digital Presence Is No Longer Optional: Why responsive websites, SEO, and automation are essential to reaching modern buyers.
James Virgoe, who is senior vice president and managing partner of GWC Warranty at APCO Holdings, acknowledged car buyers nowadays are more skeptical and informed than ever before arriving at the dealership.
So, how should F&I managers rethink their approach to presenting traditional products like extended warranties? Virgoe offered a variety of recommendations during this sponsored episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast.
Artificial intelligence is almost as prevalent in automotive nowadays as car row in your community. But how are the smartest dealerships and service providers using AI?
A trio of executives tackled that question and more during a panel discussion at this spring’s Auto Intel Summit that’s now available through this episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast. The panel featured Rich Sands of STELLA Automotive AI, Mark Queen of SKAIVISION and Rene Cejas of RunBuggy.
One of the highlights of this spring’s Auto Intel Summit was a panel of leaders from the venture capital/investment and automotive buy-sell/M&A advisory communities.
Now available through this episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast, these experts discussed buy-sell activity among dealers/dealer groups and investment in automotive technology from both the VC/investment and dealer communities.
The panel included Brian Donnelly of Autotech Ventures, Steve Greenfield of Automotive Ventures, Gabe Robleto of Kerrigan Advisors, Nate Klebacha of the Presidio Group and Brian Gordon of the Dave Cantin Group.
Montway vice president of business development and industry relations Dave Sutton put it this way: “Bottom line, remarketing is a relationship industry.”
What are the implications and opportunities this creates? Sutton answered that question and more during an appearance on the Live Stage presented by SYCN Auto Logistics at this spring’s Auto Intel Summit. The conversation is part of this episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast.
Unfortunately, vehicle transportation is another place where fraud can happen, not just in the financing and retailing parts of automotive.
Autosled vice president of dealer sales Sam Goldenberg described how bad fraud can be in the transportation space as well as some guidance for clients to avoid it during an appearance on the Live Stage presented by SYCN Auto Logistics at this spring’s Auto Intel Summit. The conversation is part of this episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast.
During this spring’s Auto Intel Summit, Cherokee Media Group’s Bill Zadeits spent time in the event’s expo hall to have a conversation with Mark Baruth, who is CEO of COOPABLE, a management company ensuring dealerships capture all their advertising co-op funds.
In this special sponsored episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast, Baruth shared COOPABLE’s journey so far and how it can be a valuable resource for dealerships of all sizes.
TapOverdrive CEO Jaideep Jain said collaborative intelligence is the perfect blend of what humans do best — creativity and teamwork — and what artificial intelligence does best — speed and scalability.
What could collaborative intelligence do in automotive? Jain offered some projections during an appearance on the Live Stage presented by SYCN Auto Logistics at this spring’s Auto Intel Summit. The conversation is part of this episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast.
Hiester Automotive Group founder and CEO John Hiester took a thoughtful path at this spring’s Auto Intel Summit to describe what dealer intelligence really is.
Hiester shared his views and journey to success with Cherokee Media Group’s Bill Zadeits during a lunchtime conversation that’s now available through this episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast.
Cherokee Media Group’s Nick Zulovich asked Brent Carmichael about what 2025 been like so far for independent dealers.
The director of education for the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association smiled and chuckled for a moment. Carmichael’s response and his comments about what’s in store for the upcoming NIADA Convention and Expo are included in this episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast.
