Dealership Experience Articles, Insights & Research | Cox Automotive Inc.

A Fresh Focus on Fixed Ops Is Paying Off 01/16/2019 Vehicle sales are now contributing less to dealership profit and fixed ops is contributing more. Today, fixed ops comprises 49% of dealership gross profit.1 The service department is also critical to retention and repeat sales. In fact, 74% of car buyers who had their vehicle serviced by the dealership of purchase said they were likely to return there to purchase their next vehicle, while only 35%… Read Article

Fixed Ops Dealership Experience Research Fixed Ops

Working Deals in a Digital World 09/14/2018 Dealerships have arrived at a moment of unprecedented opportunity, where it’s now possible to drive increased efficiency, profitability — and even customer loyalty — at the same time. More and more, car shoppers are ready to start — and even make — deals online. Thanks to a convergence of high consumer expectations, rapidly evolving technologies and a greater understanding of online behaviors, the stage has been… Read Article

Digital Retailing Dealership Experience Customer Handling Marketing Sales

Boost efficiency with a faster, more enjoyable car-buying process 07/09/2018 Here’s why things are changing and why connected retail operations are so important to your business These are challenging times for dealer operators. Business is good, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t issues keeping you up at night, bedeviling today's profitability and compromising your store’s future. At issue is a conundrum with no easy answer: the need to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of the… Read Article

Digital Retailing CRM Fixed Ops Dealership Experience DMS customer satisfaction Back Office

2018 Emotional Connections Study 03/07/2018 It’s no surprise that buying or leasing a vehicle is an emotional experience for consumers, but the Cox Automotive 2018 Emotional Connections Study reveals the specific emotions and pain points consumers undergo through all phases of the vehicle purchase process. Armed with insight into these varying emotions, dealers have an opportunity to reduce negative emotions and enhance positive portions of the experience. Download this examination of… Read Article

Digital Retailing Dealership Experience Research customer satisfaction Sales

The Future Is Here: Digital Retail 02/22/2018 Almost everyone in the automotive retail market – and even some Silicon Valley startups – is speculating about the future of how cars will be bought and sold. Much of the hype in recent months has been about the predicted end of the car dealer and the shift to completely online retailing. The speculators have good reason to believe dramatic change is coming quickly to the… Read Article

Digital Retailing Websites Dealership Experience customer satisfaction Sales

4 Truths of Digital Retailing 01/15/2018 The Cox Automotive Future of Digital Retail Study survey of 2,550 in-market shoppers reveals that most consumers prefer to purchase from a dealership that offers online purchase options. Learn how to provide a “connected” retail experience that seamlessly integrates online and offline car-buying options. Download the full study below or watch the video for highlights from this important research. Read Article

Digital Retailing Websites Dealership Experience customer satisfaction Market Insights Sales Economy & Trends

Digital Retailing 11/06/2017 According to the 2017 Cox Automotive Digital Retailing Study, nearly all consumers (98%) want the ability to do at least some piece of the car shopping/buying process online, suggesting that dealers should incorporate at least some aspect of digital retailing into their offerings. In this video, Isabelle Helms, Vice President of Research & Market Intelligence at Cox Automotive, talks about what we can do to improve the… Read Article

Digital Retailing Dealership Experience Research Sales Market Insights Economy & Trends

Evolution of Automotive Retail 10/23/2017 The biggest opportunity in automotive retail is improving the car-buying experience: less than 1% of consumers like the car shopping and buying process, as it exists today.1 Consumer data overwhelmingly supports that consumers value a car-buying experience that is transparent, predictable, streamlined, efficient, personalized with no pressure and enjoyable, and independent dealers are uniquely positioned to respond more readily to consumer demands for a better car-buying… Read Article

Dealership Experience Sales Back Office

Digital Retailing 10/18/2017 The Cox Automotive Future of Digital Retail Study survey of 2,550 in-market shoppers reveals consumer demand for a convenient, consultative sales process that seamlessly connects online & offline car-buying options. % WANT TO DO ONE OR MORE STEPS OF THE PURCHASE PROCESS ONLINE % WANT TO SIGN FINAL DOCUMENTS AT THE DEALERSHIP % STILL WANT HELP FROM DEALERSHIP STAFF EVEN IF ONLINE PURCHASE OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE… Read Article

Digital Retailing Dealership Experience Research infographic Market Insights Sales Economy & Trends

2017 Digital Retailing Study 07/19/2017 What is today's preferred car shopping experience? We asked consumers what they want from a digital experience when it comes to car shopping and buying. Here's what they told us. Most consumers want the ability to do a number of automotive shopping/buying activities online, viewing digital retailing as convenient and saving them time. Some of the top wants focus on the ability to take a 360° tour of the… Read Article

Digital Retailing Dealership Experience Research Sales