BURLINGTON, Vt. – Today, dealerships and consumers are more dependent on digital than ever. To succeed in this new era of car buying, dealerships must personalize each customer’s path to purchase and cater to their diverse needs at all touchpoints—especially those taking place online. Backed by industry-leading consumer insights, Dealer.com is constantly focusing on total user experience, with technologies and tools that give their clients an advantage in a very competitive automotive retail landscape. 

When it comes to automotive sales personalization can be very powerful, but dealers have to make the most of the tools available to reap the rewards.

Dealer.com’s latest enhancements, including a homepage redesign, remote services marketing and site-wide free-text search, deliver on the company’s promise to convert customer needs into powerful shopping and buying experiences from anywhere.  Shoppers who are exposed to personalized content during their visit view more VDPs, submit more lead forms and are more likely to start their deal online.[1].

“When it comes to automotive sales personalization can be very powerful, but dealers have to make the most of the tools available to reap the rewards,” said Bob George, assistant vice president of Product Management at Dealer.com. “By delivering a personalized experience to consumers according to their unique preferences, the faster you can serve your online visitors and help them achieve their goals. This ultimately leads to better retention rates and better word-of-mouth for your brand.”

With recent transformations including a Search Results page and guided retailing experience redesign, Dealer.com continues to make car shopping and buying more effective with the following additional features:

New Homepage Design:  Dealer.com’s updated Homepage design meets the evolving needs of current market trends and conditions. The “Remote Sales and Service” transitions traditional website browsing and shopping into a true Digital Storefront experience. During a time when consumers are more hesitant to step into a dealership’s physical location, the website must function as both a sales tool and a relationship builder. A successful homepage must effectively communicate and facilitate the new shopping patterns of today's consumer.

Remote Sales and Service Marketing: Many dealerships that introduced remote services during the pandemic have continued to offer them thanks to popular demand. A recent Cox Automotive study found that 86% of shoppers interested in remote services are likely to choose a dealership based solely on their availability. However, surprisingly only 22% of customers currently know that many dealerships offer services like pickup and delivery. To bridge this communication gap and help connect dealerships with remote customers, a new “Remote Services” widget is an option within the homepage design, on the VDP, and across the website. The customizable widget makes it easy for dealerships to showcase how they are catering to customers based on their preferences to do business safely and conveniently. 

Enhanced Site-Wide Search: This capability gives shoppers the freedom to search for vehicles and dealership services however they wish—predictive recommendations ensure consumers will find exactly what they are searching for. Some searchers are confident in what they want and can be frustrated by website experiences that force them into predetermined paths that do not meet their primary motivations. To make it faster and easier for customers to find the right information, site-wide search features suggestions that are revealed as the shopper types. Especially helpful in the current low-supply reality, shoppers can now search the full site more easily, including non-inventory pages that assist customers who might be interested in fixed operations or other services. This upgrade makes navigating dealership sites easier for the customer and lends to more qualified buyers. In a time when shoppers are willing to look further to find the perfect vehicle, it’s an ideal option to give dealerships a competitive advantage.

A dealership’s success depends on its ability to offer frictionless, personalized digital experiences that continue to improve and evolve along with customer expectations. Together, Dealer.com’s latest innovations facilitate more meaningful interactions that lead to both dealer and consumer satisfaction—catering to diverse customer needs across all touchpoints, helping dealerships make digital marketing and eCommerce simple and profitable.