Featured MarketeerIan Godbold
Responsible for developing and executing an aggressive digital ROI focused business strategy for profitable growth and increase market share in the automotive dealer sector, whilst effectively integrating online with the core business
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NOV-2020 - dalepollak.com
ProfitTime 2.0 Offers Superior Investment Management Power
It was a big step for the industry when vAuto officially launched ProfitTime two years ago. For the first time, dealers had ability to know the investment value of every used vehicle in their inventories.
| Comments NOV-2020 - dalepollak.com
Three Principles to Fuel Your Fourth Quarter in Used Vehicles
My phone’s been buzzing with dealers asking for input on how they should manage and stock their used vehicle inventories as 2020 comes to close.
OCT-2020 - dalepollak.com
Take-Aways from Cox Automotive’s “Dialogue Series”
I’m taking part in a new “Dialogue” series with Cox Automotive. The ongoing series offers dealers and industry stakeholders to ask questions, and get answers, from Cox Automotive leaders. Last week, I received several questions that I thought would be relevant to share here. Below, I’ve included the questions and my responses.
OCT-2020 - dalepollak.com
An Unprecedented Market Teaches Three Important Lessons
That’s been the story for dealers during the past several months in used vehicles. As I’ve noted here before, many dealers were able to achieve record-setting levels of sales and profitability in their used vehicle departments—despite the unprecedented combination of the COVID-19 pandemic, huge job losses and a level of economic and social instability that many of us have never experienced.
SEP-2020 - dalepollak.com
Why It’s Time to Get Back to Business In Used Vehicles
Like many dealers, I’ve been amazed by the resilience of the retail market for used vehicles during the past four months.
AUG-2020 - dalepollak.com
A Case for Stocking Up Now on Used Vehicle Inventory?
For much of the past several months, I’ve advocated that dealers take a cautious approach to the way they replenish their used vehicle inventories. Last week, I shared how dealers should cross-check their rolling 30-day and 14-day totals of retail sales to determine how many vehicles they really need.
AUG-2020 - dalepollak.com
A Calculation to Cross-Check Your Used Vehicle Inventory Levels
It’s been impressive to see dealers retailing more used vehicles despite the smaller inventories many have been forced to carry due to lower-than-usual availability of wholesale supplies.
AUG-2020 - dalepollak.com
Reflections on A Cox-Sponsored Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program
When I was in fourth grade, a teacher saved me.
AUG-2020 - dalepollak.com
A Strong Market Exposes Gross Deceptions in Used Vehicles
In my latest book, Gross Deception: A Tale of Shifting Markets, Shrinking Margins and the New Truth of Used Car Profitability, I address several “gross deceptions” that have long been part of the business of retailing used vehicles.
AUG-2020 - dalepollak.com
Dealers Achieve An Industry First for Inventory Efficiency
It’s almost a tired saying these days: We all must learn to do more with less.
JUL-2020 - Ian Godbold
Reference to the Government have launched a public consultation into the matter through the Department for Transport and Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).
This is what we are sending to our associates:
JUL-2020 - dalepollak.com
ProfitTime in Practice: Discipline Drifts in Today’s Retail Tailwinds
I’ve spent way more hours than I can count on airplanes in the past decade. Truth be told, I miss the travel and the daily get-up-and-go routine it requires.
JUL-2020 - dalepollak.com
Taking Notice of Two Used Vehicle Market Trendlines
There are two trendlines in the used vehicle market that merit every dealer’s attention.
JUL-2020 - Ian Godbold
The key advantage of a transactional website in the automotive sector
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the majority of dealerships have implemented a Click & Collect/Click & Deliver solution, with the industry fast accelerating towards the full online transactional model. The implementation of Click & Collect models has also been seen amongst many OEMs, which has the potential to instil some uneasiness across the dealer network.
JUL-2020 - dalepollak.com
A Few Thoughts for the July Fourth Weekend
I suspect I’m not the only one who’s headed into this year’s July 4th holiday weekend feeling much different than I did in years past.
JUL-2020 - dalepollak.com
A Post-Pandemic Question on Factory Facility Requirements
I’ve been wondering if the shakeout from the COVID-19 pandemic across the retail automotive industry will result in any significant changes in the requirements factories place on dealers for their facilities.
JUN-2020 - dalepollak.com
How Four “Cs” Drive Strength in Retail Used Vehicle Demand
There are two questions on the minds of many dealers and industry observers as retail sales of used vehicles continue an impressive run during the nation’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
JUN-2020 - dalepollak.com
ProfitTime in Practice: Finding Balance in a Bipolar Used Vehicle Market
I’ve noticed what might be considered a case of bipolarity in used vehicle inventories at dealerships across the country.
JUN-2020 - dalepollak.com
ProfitTime in Practice: A Pandemic Teaches Important Lessons
For much of the past three months, I’ve been on a near-constant cycle of phone calls and conversations with dealers about their used vehicle business, conditions in the current market and next steps to take as the market rebounds.
JUN-2020 - dalepollak.com
ProfitTime in Practice: Should You Buy a “No-Gross” Car?
Across the country, dealers are complaining that they can’t acquire used vehicles at auction for the right money. The complaint most often comes from dealers who have seen strong retail sales in April and May and want to continue the run.
JUN-2020 - Ian Godbold
Are Car Dealerships the Safest Retail Experience?
Since car dealerships opened on the 1st June there has been a bounce across all KPIs including website traffic, Leads into the dealerships and importantly guests returning to showrooms and transacting.
JUN-2020 - dalepollak.com
A View of Bears and Bulls in the Current Used Vehicle Market
It’s refreshing to see what might be called a boost of confidence among dealers related to their used vehicle departments. Dealers are seeing surprisingly strong retail sales volumes, and many believe they could sell more cars if they had the inventory to make deals.
MAY-2020 - dalepollak.com
A Perspective on Dealers’ Difficulty Finding Wholesale Inventory
In the past several weeks, as retail sales of used vehicles have grown, dealers have been returning to auction. In recent days, I’ve heard the same question so often, I’ve almost come to expect it in every conversation with a dealer.
MAY-2020 - dalepollak.com
A Call for Caution As Dealers Return to Auctions
It’s good to feel good about the current state of the retail used vehicle market.
MAY-2020 - Ian Godbold
Digital Marketing Strategy - A return to a traditional KPI
The C-19 pandemic will undoubtedly increase the speed of selling vehicles online in the automotive sector, with the full transaction or part transactions being completed online as consumers demand contactless sales.
A Closer Look at an Uncertain, Unpredictable Used Vehicle Market
Are Car Dealerships the Safest Retail Experience?
Digital Marketing Strategy - A return to a traditional KPI
Desire, Commitment Drive Impressive Used Vehicle Turn-Around
A 2019 Priority: Managing Your Inventory Investment Value
Independent Dealer Realizes His Car Business Dream
4 Misunderstandings About Price In Today’s Auto Retail Market
3 Best Practices To Beat Used Vehicle Margin Compression
3 Takeaways to retail a larger share of vehicles in less than 30 days, and improving overall profitability and ROI in used vehicles.
Key Benchmarks Top Used Vehicle Dealers Achieve to Outpace Others In The US Market
Comment: 2924 Days Ago
3 Best Practices To Beat Used Vehicle Margin Compression
Old habits and expectations are hard to break. More profit made because the sale price increased. ..