May 17, 2018—With auto sales taking a dip throughout much of the industry in 2017, it forced automakers to react and shift more toward e-commerce, as noted in a recent article by CBT News.
Multiple companies have caused disruptions to brick and mortar dealerships recently, including AutoNation, which piloted kiosk offering and online sales with Wal-Mart and CarSaver, along with shopping websites like TrueCar. Amazon also grabbed recent headlines when it secured major contracts where it posed a threat to traditional parts suppliers like AutoZone, and Genuine Parts.
The report noted that social media is becoming a clear way with which to connect with customers. And, it’s no longer enough for auto businesses to simply have a website. Nowadays, auto dealerships need to actively engage with their customers through digital means, the cbtnews.com report argued.
Additionally, the report suggested that dealerships’ e-commerce platforms include the following:
- product bundling
- integration with your brick and mortar store
- cohesive branding throughout
- optimized product landing pages
- model, make, and year filtering
- shopping comparison feeds
- Intuitive inventory management
- mobile friendly responsive design
- wholesale/dealer-tiered pricing
