Ease-of-Purchase Survey Shows November Upticks
CDK score reflects progress as inventories rise, but still room for improvement.

Survey shows consumers who found their desired vehicle model in stock at a dealer rose month-over-month from 44% to 49%.
IMAGE: Getty Images/PeopleImages
The latest monthly CDK Global Ease of Purchase survey shows that consumers who found their desired vehicle model in stock at a dealer in November rose month-over-month from 44% to 49%.
The finding points to recently eased vehicle inventories after nearly three years of tight supply due to pandemic-caused parts scarcities.
The CDK “scorecard” also found that the percentage of car shoppers who said that securing their desired vehicle came easy increased from 68% to 71%. Still, that part of the car-buying process remained the hardest for 27% of surveyed consumers, pointing to still limited supply.
But with easing inventories, surveyed shoppers who visited three or more dealerships fell from 29% to 24%. And those visiting only one dealership rose from 46% to 49%.
Even with the improvements reflected in the survey, the overall Ease of Purchase score in November fell two points month-over-month to 82%, attributed to big drops in finance-and-insurance and deliveries.
CDK, an auto retail software provider, introduced the scorecard in October as a snapshot of the vehicle purchase process at dealerships, polling more than 1,000 U.S. consumers on their experience.
More Dealer Ops

Dealer Debrief: Defection Data & EV Updates
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence discusses how to use defection data to your advantage and the latest on EV sales and charging infrastructure.
Read More →
How Defection Data is Bridging the Dealership Conversion Gap
Lead volume is flat, cross-shopping is up and brand loyalty is in retreat. As confident sales teams keep losing buyers they thought they had, daily industry sales data is showing dealers exactly where their funnel is breaking and how to fix it without buying a single new lead.
Read More →
Dealer Debrief: Where are you losing customers?
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence discusses the hidden leaks in dealerships where you might be losing customers without even realizing it.
Read More →
Dealer Debrief: Improving Your Inventory Management
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence covers a new survey that shows what service technicians really want and two launches that could help improve your inventory and vehicle life cycle management.
Read More →
Ladies and Gentlemen, This Is a Dealership: Why the Fundamentals Still Decide Who Wins
A teaching moment by a legendary football coach happens to apply perfectly in the auto retail space. Learn what it is and how to use it to your store’s advantage.
Read More →
What Market Timing Mistakes Mean for Your Reinsurance Program
When volatility hits, dealer-owned reinsurance programs face a familiar temptation: pull back and wait for calmer waters. New data from BOK Financial shows why that instinct can quietly cost you years of surplus growth.
Read More →
Dealer Ads and the FTC
The agency has made it clear in recent enforcement actions and warnings, in auto retail and other industries, that advertised prices must include all nonoptional costs to the consumer.
Read More →
Used Autos Supply Dwindles
The March shopping surge, despite high prices, cut into inventory by the most since the thick of the pandemic, Cox Automotive analysts calculated.
Read More →
Managing Risk Effectively Through Changing Times
The variables influencing risk pricing have changed significantly over the past five years. Being proactive and responsive to emerging trends is not optional but essential.
Read More →
Survey Reveals What Won't Fix What's Breaking Car Sales
AutoPayPlus says extra-long auto loans are trapping consumers and threatening the dealer trade-in cycle, and that the industry is leveraging the wrong tools to combat high MSRPs.
Read More →
