Comments on: Cash-for-Clunkers Drives New-Car Shopping—and Higher Prices http://www.dealerrefresh.com/cash-for-clunkers-drives-higher-prices/ Obstacles, Observations and Opinions of an Automotive Internet Sales Manager Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:57:54 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel) http://www.dealerrefresh.com/cash-for-clunkers-drives-higher-prices/comment-page-1/#comment-7375 VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel) Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:41:05 +0000 http://www.dealerrefresh.com/?p=2549#comment-7375 Just noticed that it was an autotrader.com press release, and I was already wondering where the stats and numbers from cars.com, etc are. Looking at my analytics for AutoTrader, I can certainly report double digits closing ratios throughout my stores on incoming AutoTrader inquiries. However I can't share the success on the incoming new car leads through this medium. Alone Honda had exclusively used car inquiries during the cash for clunker period and not ONE new car inquiry. It is still nice to see that we still closed 25% of this incoming leads. Now (and I agree with Phil 100%) we only need to be patient for the government cutting us the checks. I further hope that AutoTrader won’t use the “sky-rocketing traffic” numbers during the particular CARS period to defend their next price increase. Happy Selling to y’all. Just noticed that it was an autotrader.com press release, and I was already wondering where the stats and numbers from cars.com, etc are.
Looking at my analytics for AutoTrader, I can certainly report double digits closing ratios throughout my stores on incoming AutoTrader inquiries. However I can’t share the success on the incoming new car leads through this medium. Alone Honda had exclusively used car inquiries during the cash for clunker period and not ONE new car inquiry.

It is still nice to see that we still closed 25% of this incoming leads.

Now (and I agree with Phil 100%) we only need to be patient for the government cutting us the checks. I further hope that AutoTrader won’t use the “sky-rocketing traffic” numbers during the particular CARS period to defend their next price increase.
Happy Selling to y’all.

]]> By: Philip Zelinger http://www.dealerrefresh.com/cash-for-clunkers-drives-higher-prices/comment-page-1/#comment-7369 Philip Zelinger Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:08:50 +0000 http://www.dealerrefresh.com/?p=2549#comment-7369 I live to leverage and I have always done business with my friends because my enemies will never call me! Leveraged online resources and networked marketing relationships with one central access point for vehicle inventory and information is a necessary evil for individual dealers who can't possibly cut through the clutter of the Internet Superhighway alone. The CARS program undoubtedly created more problems than it solved - with most of the problems yet to materialize - however building traffic was one of its unchallenged successes. It is understandable that AutoTrader.Com would get the lion share of the online traffic that the program developed; congratulations! Now, if only my dealer clients can get paid by the government for their clunkers maybe we will be able to pay the ATC invoices. You guys won't mind waiting just a little past the promised 10 days will you? After all, what are friends for! I live to leverage and I have always done business with my friends because my enemies will never call me! Leveraged online resources and networked marketing relationships with one central access point for vehicle inventory and information is a necessary evil for individual dealers who can’t possibly cut through the clutter of the Internet Superhighway alone. The CARS program undoubtedly created more problems than it solved – with most of the problems yet to materialize – however building traffic was one of its unchallenged successes. It is understandable that AutoTrader.Com would get the lion share of the online traffic that the program developed; congratulations! Now, if only my dealer clients can get paid by the government for their clunkers maybe we will be able to pay the ATC invoices. You guys won’t mind waiting just a little past the promised 10 days will you? After all, what are friends for!

]]> By: Lightnup http://www.dealerrefresh.com/cash-for-clunkers-drives-higher-prices/comment-page-1/#comment-7367 Lightnup Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:51:40 +0000 http://www.dealerrefresh.com/?p=2549#comment-7367 Let the flames begin. Let the flames begin.

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