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Vroom - vehicle equipment package display

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CARBIZ

CARBIZ

Made Draw
May 17, 2010
34
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First Name
Evan
#1
Can someone point me in the right direction to accomplish what Vroom.com does with their vehicle options display? They somehow manage to display factory adds of vehicles (packages or options) and detail exactly what those packages/options include. Very clean and customer friendly.

Click on the link to see a detailed image of Vroom.com accomplishing this...Vroom Comments.png

For example - vAuto is not able to send me data on our cars in a format that can be manipulated to function like this. I also checked Homenet - no go there either.

Ideally looking for the company that is accomplishing this for Vroom. Our site is fully customized, including the inventory pages, so we could handle getting the data in a variety of formats. Thanks for any help!
 
#2
Evan, great questions.

vRoom is just like Carvana, and all those OTHER silicon valley automotive start ups (that are most likely going to fail).

As for vRoom...someone is behind the desk manually entering in the data/package for each vehicle. There's not some magic automated process that you you're missing out on. Trust me!

Homenet and vAuto has this information available BUT you have to manually select which options and packages the vehicle has.

I just got off the phone with Chad over at CarStory, and he ask me a very thought provoking question..."does anyone care about vehicle packages or do they ONLY care about the FEATURES that are included in each package?"
 
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#4
Jeff Kershner said:
Evan, great questions.

vRoom is just like Carvana, and all those OTHER silicon valley automotive start ups (that are most likely going to fail).

As for vRoom...someone is behind the desk manually entering in the data/package for each vehicle. There's not some magic automated process that you you're missing out on. Trust me!

Homenet and vAuto has this information available BUT you have to manually select which options and packages the vehicle has.

I just got off the phone with Chad over at CarStory, and he ask me a very thought provoking question..."does anyone care about vehicle packages or do they ONLY care about the FEATURES that are included in each package?"
Click to expand...

Nobody cares about how the equipment got on the car, what other equipment came with the package, or what the code was to order it. They care about the equipment itself.

My opinion.
 
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#5
I fully agree that customers don't necessarily care about the factory codes or packages, more they are interested in the specific equipment but i don't see a downside to cleanly displaying the information for the customer (minus factory codes) so they don't have to guess as to what options/packages a car has. For example... A BMW customer is interested in knowing if a vehicle has the Cold Weather Package, not just knowing the vehicle has heated seats or a heated steering wheel. The average dealer still doesn't create custom comments for their vehicles, let alone specific options.

Jeff Kershner said:
As for vRoom...someone is behind the desk manually entering in the data/package for each vehicle. There's not some magic automated process that you you're missing out on. Trust me!
Click to expand...

I also believe that someone has to manually enter the additional packages/options (which by the way i also think is barbaric and needs to be addressed - potentially new feature on Auction Genius?) but I think that is where it should end and an automated feed of data in the CSV file should take over. I doubt there is anyone at Vroom that is manually typing anything. This is 2015!
 
#6
CARBIZ said:
I fully agree that customers don't necessarily care about the factory codes or packages, more they are interested in the specific equipment but i don't see a downside to cleanly displaying the information for the customer (minus factory codes) so they don't have to guess as to what options/packages a car has. For example... A BMW customer is interested in knowing if a vehicle has the Cold Weather Package, not just knowing the vehicle has heated seats or a heated steering wheel. The average dealer still doesn't create custom comments for their vehicles, let alone specific options.



I also believe that someone has to manually enter the additional packages/options (which by the way i also think is barbaric and needs to be addressed - potentially new feature on Auction Genius?) but I think that is where it should end and an automated feed of data in the CSV file should take over. I doubt there is anyone at Vroom that is manually typing anything. This is 2015!
Click to expand...

I don't see any negative to displaying the information either.

Your cold package example for a BMW buyer is actually a very good one. Many BMW buyers know what these packages are and in a way it can be easier to just tell them that it has a cold package.

Good luck!
 
#7
This is a great conversation. Here are a few additional thoughts:
1. For new cars, OEMs spend a ton on marketing the fancy packages that consumers inevitably get familiar with as they play around with different configurations to maximize the features they want for the price they can pay. Side note: I was disappointed that I couldn't get cooled seats on my Acura without spending 12k on additional packages.
2. As cars age, consumers' knowledge of these packages starts to fade away, unless you are a fanatic of a brand or cars in general. Of course, the meat of the market does not fall into this category.
3. On the used side, it is nearly impossible to get complete coverage of build data. This combined with #2 calls for an approach that focuses on optioning the vehicle correctly, so you can both price the car correctly and make sure consumers have the full picture to maximize interest, engagement and ultimately sales.

This is something we've been working on for the last 8 years and have built a lot of expertise in ensuring high levels of completeness and quality when it comes to inventory data. As you might expect, for us to have confidence in our vehicle analytics, we have to start with great data.
 
#9
CARBIZ said:
...I doubt there is anyone at Vroom that is manually typing anything. This is 2015!
Click to expand...

Evan,
It's been 4-5 years since I've been under the hood of inventory systems, my observations will be a brain dump, they may be helpful.

Vroom's vehicle attributes presentation has made me wonder if some inventory vendor has upgraded their game.

Here's my walk around.
What I see is Vroom is doing a bang up job. So far, what I see is so sophisticated, I'll bet it's a vendor supplied solution. If it's Vroom's work, they've got an epic dev team and a great platform leader.

Pkg codes are typically in the DMS for new units only, or avail from the OEM's build sheet. Without this info, re-creating the package code is a giant time sucking job. But... it's mathematically possible deduce that a package exists once it has enough attributes chosen (i.e. options mapped against package library). This is a giant project that'll require access to all vehicle attribute data of the last dozen years (or so).

I love the simple & super-relevant automatic content generator (CG).

“This 2014 Chevrolet Cruze is Front Wheel Drive and comes equipped with Heated Seats, Back-Up Camera, Cruise Control, Bluetooth, Voice Control Multimedia, AUX, USB, Power Locks, Power Windows, AM/FM Radio, CD Player, Power Driver Seat, 17" Wheels, and an Automatic Transmission.”​

The CG follows a simple and logical framework that I had on the old usedcarking.com. Options are normalized and weighted. The options with the highest weights go first. Look at the list again, from heated seats and back-up camera down to automatic tranny, it's clear that they've used the this weighted options framework.


Why isn't all this crap automatic?
OEM's don't share VIN specific build info. So, after the VIN explosion, some cars can reveal their trim, then, any 'other' option/package info needs to be gathered in the field. The quality of the option data SELLS CARS and the quality of the option info is highly dependent on the quality of the man on the job. Also, a great inventory vendor's system will guide the person thru the 'available options' check list (increasing their quality)

If I were you, I'd look into Homenet, Chrome and Autodata.



p.s. I see they're doing split testing :)
<!-- Start Visual Website Optimizer Asynchronous Code -->
 
#10
Tallcool1 said:
Nobody cares about how the equipment got on the car, what other equipment came with the package, or what the code was to order it. They care about the equipment itself.

My opinion.
Click to expand...

I'll argue the other side Clint.

Will this DISC? (Does It Sell Cars)? I'll add a few building blocks that are relevant to this idea:
  1. Shoppers don't know cars.
  2. Internet Shoppers don't read, they scan.
  3. Don't make me think (but make me smarter)
  4. Shoppers make 2 decisions, #1 what car, #2 which dealer (in that order)


"Shoppers don't know cars"
When an Internet shopper lands on a VDP, they see this:
upload_2015-10-16_13-39-55.png
I'd bet that >95% of car shoppers have never seen the "Vision Package" before. Whatever the real % is is irrelevant, shoppers will deduce that this VIN has a package that is unique to this car and when they shop ya, your competitors won't have it . If you get lucky, and the package hit's their "that's awesome!" button they'll use it as an anchor to find & compare all other cars. If none of your other competitors have this "package display" ability, then, YOU WIN THE UP.


Internet Shoppers don't read, they scan.
This is a partial options list from a high end SUV (a competitor to the Ford that Evan posted). You tell me how long it take you to see if this GM SUV has the features seen on Evan's Vision Pkg.

Ready, set, go!
  • Rear Window Defogger
  • Power Windows
  • Cruise Control
  • Power Liftgate
  • Active 2-speed Transfer Case w/Neutral for Dinghy/Flat Towing
  • Bluetooth for Phone Streaming Audio for Music for Select Phones
  • OnStar Basic Plan
  • StabiliTrak Stability Control
  • Vehicle Interior Movement Sensor
  • Driver Information Center-Programmable Personalization Features Such as Door Locking & Unlocking Trip Computer w/Trip Odometer Individual Tire Pressure Read Outs Fuel Information Such as Range Avg MPG Gallons Used & Oil Life; & Message Center
  • Side Assist Steps
  • Power Tilt-Sliding Sunroof w/Sunshade & Wind Deflector
  • 12" Color Gauge Cluster
  • Lane Change Alert Alerts Driver When Vehicle is Approaching Fast From the Rear
  • Universal Home Remote w/Garage Door Opener
  • Single-slot CD/MP3 Player
  • Wireless Charging (Must Purchase Separate Adapter)
  • Heated 2nd Row Seats
  • Heated & Cooled Front Seats
  • Surround Vision Provides Birdseye View of Vehicle
  • Intermittent Rainsense Windshield Wipers
  • HD Trailer Towing Pkg
  • Inboard Driver Seat Mounted Airbag For Far Side Passenger Protection
  • SIRIUS/XM & HD Radio
  • Steering Wheel Controls-Audio & Driver Info Center Controls
  • Rear Cross-traffic Alert
  • Cadillac CUE Information & Media Control System w/Embedded Navigation AM/FM Stereo 8" Diagonal Color Information Display Featuring Touch Response Haptic Feedback Gesture Recognition & Natural Voice Recognition; 5 USB Ports SD Card Slot & Auxiliary Audio Port
  • 22" 7-spoke Aluminum Wheels w/Premium Paint & Chrome Inserts
  • IntelliBeam Automatic High Beam On/off Headlamps
  • 3rd Row Power Fold Flat 60/40 Split Bench Seat
  • Spare Tire Lock
  • Outside Heated Power Adjustable Power-Folding Mirrors w/Driver-side Auto-dimming Integrated Turn Signal Indicators Ground Illumination & Programmable to Provide Curb View When in Reverse
  • Head Curtain Side-Impact Airbags for All Seating Rows
  • Rear Deep Tinted Glass
  • Push Button Keyless Start
  • Hill Start-Assist/Hill Hold Brakes
  • Adaptive Remote Vehicle Start
  • Front & Rear Park Assist
  • Automatic On-off Headlamps
  • Rear Automatic Load Leveling
  • Front Active Aero Shutters
  • Theft-deterrent System w/Unauthorized Entry Engine Immobilizer
  • Front & Rear Head Curtain Side-Impact Airbags
  • Magnetic Ride Control w/Selectable Sport Mode
  • Solar Absorbing Windshield
  • Leather
  • Remote Keyless Entry
  • NavTraffic
  • Electronic Power Steering
  • Floor Console w/Covered Storage
  • Power Programmable Door Locks
  • HD Locking Rear Differential
  • Vehicle Inclination Sensor That Will Detect Vehicle Being Towed or Jacked Up
  • 4-wheel Antilock/4-wheel Disc Brakes
  • Engine 6.2L V8 w/Active Fuel Management Spark Ignition Direct Injection Variable Valve Timing (420 hp @ 5600 rpm 460 lb-ft Torque @ 4100 rpm) Aluminum Block
  • 8-speed Automatic Transmission
  • Front Seat Mounted Side-Impact Airbags
  • Seating Capacity-7
  • Acoustic Laminated Windshield & Front Door Glass
  • Tri-zone Automatic Climate Control
  • Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound System w/16 Speakers
  • Power Adjustable Pedals
  • Heated Steering Wheel
  • Rear Door Child Security Locks
  • Rear Seat Entertainment System w/DVD Player(BluRay Capable) 9" Screen Auxiliary Audio/Video Jacks Sound Compression CD-R & CR-R/W Capability LED Backlighting Display & MP3 Capable
  • Safety Alert Seat w/Haptic Vibration in Seat Cushion
  • Front Dual-Stage Airbags
  • Memory Settings Includes 2 "Presets" for Driver Seat Adjuster Outside Rearview Mirrors Power Tilt/Telescoping Steering Column & Power-adjustable Pedals
  • Driver Awareness Package w/Safety Alert Seat Forward Collision Alert & Lane Departure Warning
  • Passenger Sensing System
  • Head-Up Display
  • Leather Wrapped Power Tilt Steering Wheel
  • Front Heated Leather Bucket Seats w/12-way Power Seat Adjusters Including 4-way Power Lumbar Control & 2-position Driver Memory Seat
  • OnStar Directions & Connections Plan
  • Brakes w/DuraLife Rotors
  • 2nd Row Power Configurable Bucket Seats
  • Theft-Deterrent Package w/Self-powered Horn Interior Movement Sensor Vehicle Inclination Sensors Door Lock Shields & Glass Break Sensors in Rear Quarter Glass & Liftgate Window
  • Tire Pressure Monitoring System
  • LED High Beam/Low Beam Light Pipe Headlamps
  • Power Tilt/Telescoping Steering Column
  • Theft-deterrent Alarm System
  • Chrome Roof Mounted Luggage Rack
  • Four Wheel Drive
  • OnStar w/4G LTE Provides a Built-in Wi-Fi Hotspot to Connect to the Internet at 4G LTE Speeds
  • Intermittent Rear Wiper/Washer
  • Inside Rearview Auto-dimming Mirror w/OnStar Controls
  • Side Blind Zone Alert Alerts Driver When Vehicle is in Blind Spot

Car Shoppers make 2 decisions, #1 what car, #2 which dealer (in that order)
Our sites need to help shoppers land on a car. Do anything in your power to help the shopper know this car stands on the shoulders of all the other cars for sale. Once you cross that barrier, then (and only then) does the shopper worry about who you are, where you are, and what your reputation is.

The benefits keep going...
I'd teach all my reps to use it as a weapon in battle. If they have a shopper that's cross shopping you and your car has 'a package', I'd tell the reps to confidently challenge the shopper to compare cars. Ask them to go to the competitors website, pull up the car and see if it has this package. It won't have the package... period. After 5 mins, the shopper may find 1 or 2 options in the package, but they won't find them all... go for the close! go for the close! go for the close!


This is just one VDP. The shopper may look at dozens. THINK SHOPPER FATIGUE. Packages can help in many ways!

HTH
Joe
 
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