Vehicle specific comments

[ddavis]

It took a while to understand. From there we have made a bunch. The biggest value from a volume dealer's point of view is once you have made a good comment for Make Model Trim it will automatically generate it for every new one you bring in-stock.

Customers are hungry for information, I am certain that your efforts will pay huge dividends.

 

[joe.pistell]

Victor,

I am missing some info to understand the what your measuring to help me understand the stories that the chart presents.

For example:
--what is a "SRP to VDP conversion"? (details of the study)
--What is the date range?
--Is this a "before and after" study?
--Why is there a rising trend (was your study fully populated at date of launch?)
--Where are the "before" measurements?
--Why are the other stores grey'd out?

Looking forward to your thoughts,

Joe

Gerald,

I too had the same question, I couldn't find research... About two months ago I found a very talented individual on this forum (thanks DR team) who I walked through my concept of creating an SRP to VDP conversion report which would allow me to A+b test and compare conversion while tweaking SRP layouts to focus on custom comments, payments, etc...

Long story short Jon Berna listened to my needs and created an SRP to VDP report from scratch. We are getting ready to launch our new layout part of which will really focus around custom comments. While we may not have research...we will have very strong data on what consumers care about and influences in their shopping habits while on our website.

Maybe there are companies or research out there on this but when Jon delivered this for my team it unlocked a key KPI for measuring the shopping experience. This should be a industry standard KPI for web vendors and dealers.

Thanks again Jon for finding away to make this happen!

 

[IQtony]

I'm a newbie here, but I can't fathom advertising vehicles without being meticulous in your ads and photos. Customers are always looking for specific options and/or key words to trigger an emotional feeling. Once you click that button in their brain with your great photos and ads, customers will be emailing you first. Also, let your customers know that you're more meticulous and you will sound like a more reputable company to buy from. Product knowledge gains trust and believe it or not garners sales. I encourage our sales guys to learn every package and option by heart. This speeds up the advertising process and helps when sales come around. Mind you, they have no choice as we collectively have only 3-4 guys doing all the advertising, selling, and F&I.

 

[joe.pistell]

...I can't fathom advertising vehicles without being meticulous in your ads and photos...

I LOVE your work on your comments, but some of your interior pics need some love.

I could eat off this engine

But that looks like a lot like a fender dent...


the hood is all wrinkled



Intense contrast from the White background & a dark car makes the camera's software go nuts.


Careful of cutting off the nose

 

[joe.pistell]

Ahh Anthony, I see your efforting with adding cloth overhead



Dialing in an Indoor photo booth is NOT easy (or cheap)!!!

 

[yagoparamo]

Put some effort, rise above the clout, reap the benefits. What a concept, right? Automated comment tools made dealers believe that the job will get done but the problem is that once every dealer has the same tool all the cars will have the equal amount of information-less comments.

The fact that comments and more information are useful for the client and that it creates more business is not an argument anymore, the argument now resides on what type of comment constitutes garbage added or useful--decision making--information.

Only having knowledge about the cars and writing about the options, features, etc on the particular vehicle that enhance the knowledge of the customer bring extra value to the equation. One simple rule to know if you are in the right track or not is to ask yourself:

After I read the vehicle comment; (as a customer) do I know more about the car?

 

[ddavis]

Yago, custom comments are one of dozens of things that dealers can do to make a difference but are usually ignored (silent walk-arounds, calling the log, call and email monitoring, daily inventory walks, daily one on ones with salespeople ....on and on). Dealers fall into three groups: sub par dealers, average dealers and market leaders. Market leaders are a small minority.