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Industry professionals discuss their attendance plans for two fall 2023 automotive conferences—ASOTU CON and Digital Dealer—with ryan.leslie promoting both events and highlighting notable speakers. The conversation shifts when attendees learn that the Driving Sales Executive Summit (DSES), a formerly prestigious "advanced" alternative conference, has been cancelled or postponed due to declining attendance post-COVID, raising concerns about the quality and authenticity of conference presentations across the industry.
Ansira's 2020 acquisition of CDK's digital marketing business (rebranded as Sincro) is discussed alongside speculation from 2023 that the company may be preparing to sell the division again due to reported financial troubles and mass layoffs. Contributors note that while the underlying technology has never been particularly advanced, the business previously differentiated itself through exceptional customer support and talented staff—assets that have reportedly deteriorated significantly post-acquisition. The key insight is that without strong personnel and service capabilities, the digital marketing business has limited competitive value and may be an acquisition target for larger competitors seeking to eliminate competition or acquire assets at a discount.
AutoAlert, an automotive data analytics platform, was acquired by BlackRock investment funds, prompting DealerRefresh users to question the financial deal's legitimacy given BlackRock's lack of automotive expertise and AutoAlert's prior mention as underperforming in BlackRock's portfolio. The consensus among forum members suggests the acquisition may have actually been a debt-for-equity swap or leveraged buyout disguised as an acquisition, with one commenter sardonically noting that customers performing similar financial maneuvers would call it a "repossession."
CDK is sending intimidating emails to dealers and vendors labeled "Hostile Integration," warning against unauthorized DMS data access and pushing them toward CDK's paid Dealer Data Exchange service instead. Forum members debate the practice, noting that CDK's integration fees are cost-prohibitive and passed to dealers, while CDK actively shuts down vendor accounts that access the system outside approved channels, with one commenter noting they receive reinstatement requests weekly.
TradePending announced its acquisition of Snapcell, a video technology platform that has been operating for 8 years, to enhance dealer-to-consumer communication and support its "simple automotive" mission. The post emphasizes that TradePending sees significant integration opportunities with Snapcell's team and technology, which humanizes and streamlines messaging between dealers and customers. Community responses indicate positive reception to the acquisition from industry professionals.
Greg Gifford promotes Ignition, a vendor-free automotive conference in Dallas on August 28th focused on dealer education with expert speakers, offering a $300 ticket discount with promo code "giff-hookup." Jeff Kershner announces that Gifford will appear on DealerRefresh's RefreshFriday webcast (August 11th) to discuss the conference and his session on SEO news and tactics, inviting community members to submit questions beforehand.
Jeff Kershner shares concerns about rapidly escalating used car prices that he argues are harming middle-class consumers, citing a Breaking Points video analysis and noting difficulty finding affordable used pickup trucks under $5,000 with reasonable mileage for his daughter. The thread includes a secondary post linking to content about U.S. competitiveness in electric vehicle manufacturing against China, suggesting broader concerns about the automotive market and industry competitiveness rather than a developed discussion.
Kevin Frye reviews the Digital Dealer Tampa 2023 conference, highlighting successful elements like the "speed-selling" networking format and Emerald's openness to feedback, while sparking a broader discussion about whether holding the show twice yearly still makes sense given the automotive industry's slower pace of digital innovation compared to earlier years. Participants debate the merits of maintaining separate spring and fall events, with concerns about lower spring attendance and vendor spending caution amid economic uncertainty, though some emphasize the value of the show for networking rather than immediate business opportunities.
ActivEngage announced the launch of MyDrive Experience, a new feature integrated into its messaging platform that delivers vehicle walkthroughs and virtual test drives to dealership customers. The service leverages partnerships with video and marketing technology providers to create an immersive, digitally-engaging shopping experience designed to replicate the in-person dealership environment. The feature targets automotive dealers, dealer groups, OEMs, and strategic partners looking to enhance customer engagement through their messaging channels.
DealerRefresh members coordinate meetups and share their attendance plans for NADA 2023, with several regulars announcing their return after multi-year absences. Key activities include a breakfast panel on loyalty featuring Alex Snyder, visits to vendor booths (Impel, Cox Automotive, GM), and informal dinners and drinks throughout the conference. The thread demonstrates strong community engagement, with members actively connecting in-person and exchanging contact information to meet during the event.
A DealerRefresh member shares concerns about Grant Cardone's current ventures, noting he's shifted away from automotive sales training into real estate, conferences, and motivational speaking with mixed results. Replies suggest skepticism about his recent business moves, including partnerships with the UFC's Power Slap sport, with limited detailed discussion of what specifically prompted the concerns.
Cox Automotive and other industry analysts predict that vehicle demand will decline in 2023 due to rising interest rates and elevated car prices, despite expecting solid overall sales and a strong finish to 2022. A forum member's dismissive response ("Duh") suggests that this forecast was already obvious to experienced dealers before the analysis was published.
STELLA Automotive AI announced promotions and new hires in its sales department, including Cate Hegarty joining as Enterprise Director of Logistics (with prior experience at Cox Automotive in retail, fixed ops, and digital retailing) and Ron Smith's promotion to Director of Enterprise Sales. The post appears to highlight the company's growth strategy and investment in customer-facing roles, though the original post cuts off mid-sentence before providing complete details.
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STELLA Automotive AI announced promotions within its operations team, elevating Joshua Capps to Director and Noah Pollack to Technical Support Manager, as the company scales its onboarding and customer management processes. Capps brings relevant experience from Cox Automotive and LivePerson in project management and dealership operations, positioning him to lead the expansion efforts. The announcements signal the company's growth phase and focus on strengthening its ability to serve automotive dealers at scale.
The J.D. Power Auto Summit will take place in Dallas on January 26, 2023, immediately before the NADA Show, featuring keynote speakers from Toyota and Hyundai discussing automotive retail trends for 2023. Early-bird registration rates are available through November 18th. The thread primarily serves as an informational announcement with minimal discussion or debate.
Kevin Frye shares his review of the Digital Dealer Vegas 2022 conference, highlighted by his presentation on the Wyler User Experience Study, which examined customer perceptions of dealership experiences. Multiple industry professionals praise both his content and the overall quality of the conference, with attendees and vendors noting engaged conversations, strong networking, and calls for Frye to keynote future events. The key insight is that genuine, customer-focused content and authentic professional relationships—rather than transactional metrics—are what make the conference valuable to dealers and vendors alike.
A dealer announces LivePerson's acquisition of Contact At Once!, a major chat platform provider in automotive, prompting discussion about whether the acquisition price reflects actual revenue or inflated valuations based on potential. Years later, forum members report confusion over LivePerson sunsetting its chat tools as of October 2022, with pulled press releases and dormant social media suggesting uncertainty about the service's fate. The thread concludes with skepticism that the acquisition ultimately delivered sustainable value, reflecting broader concerns about tech valuations in the automotive industry.
George Soros, a major shareholder in EV startup Rivian, has taken a significant financial hit as the company reported mixed Q2 earnings and lowered profit guidance despite maintaining its 25,000-vehicle 2022 production target. Rivian cited ongoing supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures on material costs as primary headwinds limiting profitability. The thread focuses on Rivian's operational challenges as it attempts to compete with Tesla in the EV market.
The thread highlights an apparent contradiction in California policy: just days after announcing a ban on new gas-powered vehicle sales, state officials asked residents to avoid charging electric vehicles to prevent grid overload during peak demand periods. The post and initial reply suggest skepticism about whether the state's infrastructure can support its aggressive EV mandate, with dealers expressing concern about policy coordination and state governance more broadly.
EpicVIN announced it has onboarded over 100 car dealers to its online marketplace at cars.epicvin.com, offering tools like predictive lot-sit analysis and dynamic pricing recommendations. A dealer representative questioned the approval process, noting that at least one of their clients appeared on the platform without knowing they were "EpicVIN approved," suggesting potential confusion around dealer enrollment criteria or notification procedures. The thread raises questions about how dealers are added to the platform and what formal partnership requirements actually exist.
The FTC has proposed new regulations that would ban F&I and vehicle add-on products deemed to provide "no benefit," require dealers to list prices online, and expand disclosure requirements—measures the industry views as restrictive and burdensome. Key concerns raised include stricter pre-approval/pre-qualification standards requiring credit-tier-linked offers with two-year documentation retention, which dealers feel the industry is unprepared to implement. The thread reflects frustration among dealers about the volume and scope of regulatory changes affecting their business practices.
An Australian bank announced it will cease offering loans for internal combustion and hybrid vehicles by 2035 as part of its net zero emissions strategy, classifying these as "fossil fuel cars" while leaving the status of plug-in hybrids unclear. The post presents this policy as a significant market shift and questions its implications for dealers, though the thread appears incomplete and the broader discussion outcome is not fully shown.