Three Pointers To Maximize Purchased Unit Profitability

Indeed, if you compare the typical Cost to Market metrics for purchased and trade-in units, you can see why some dealers are complaining.

4 Corollaries From the Facebook, Dealer Data Fronts

I’ve been following the controversy involving Facebook and its user data.

3 Opportunity Costs You Should Consider Trimming

As more dealers think of ways to adjust to today’s margin-compressed environment, cutting costs becomes a primary topic of conversation, if not decisions.

Margin Compression Takes A Bite—How Will You Bite Back?

For many dealers, margin compression in used vehicles has been a bit like a leaky water line.

NADA Day 3: Final Thoughts On A Great Convention

I heard that there were more than 100 new products offered and promoted through press releases at this year’s NADA—almost double the number from last year.

NADA Day 2: A Telling Conversation and Other Nuggets

I had the honor and privilege of spending time this week with Thomas “Mack” McLarty, a highly successful third-generation dealer from Arkansas who has also had a remarkable political career, including his service as chief of staff for former President Bill Clinton.

NADA Day 1: Four Themes To Consider

I took a fair amount of notes during the American Financial Services Association’s annual conference, and Automotive News Retail Forum events here in Las Vegas.

An Emphasis On Efficiency, Innovation at NADA

I’m ready for NADA. Are you

Part 2: 4 Ways To Mitigate Margin Compression

If today’s used vehicle market was a house, it’d have a serious structural problem.

Part One: A Troubling Tradition-Minded Trend To Avoid

In the past few weeks, I’ve noticed a troubling trend in dealers’ used vehicle inventories.

Temptation Abounds. Will You Bite?

‘Tis the season for temptation in used vehicles. It’s that time when some dealers stock up on used vehicle inventory in advance of the annual rite of spring-fed retail sales.

Four Key Resolutions To Improve Used Vehicle Performance

A new year brings much discussion about goals, resolutions and to-dos. That’s certainly the case with a lot of dealers, judging from conversations and e-mails the past few weeks.

Three Ways To Work Around And Through The Used Vehicle Donut Hole

I’ve been struck by three trends in the current used vehicle market.

3 Must-Dos To Combat Dealer Margin Declines

How many dealers figured they’d make up for ever-smaller margins in new and used vehicles by selling more cars in 2017?

A Sign of New Vehicle Inventory Imbalances

I had an old rule of thumb when I was a dealer: You could get a bead on new vehicle inventory imbalances by the number of full-page ads in the Chicago Tribune on Sundays..

How The Little Things Determine Your Car Business Success

“It’s life by a thousand little things, or death by a thousand cuts.”

A Manager’s View Of A Volatile Used Vehicle Market

I had an eye-opening conversation the other day with used vehicle manager Jim Mason of Steven Toyota, Harrisonburg, VA.

4 Misunderstandings About Price In Today’s Auto Retail Market

Old beliefs and habits definitely die hard. Take the way many dealers still think about their new and used vehicle prices:

Time to Take Google Analytics Seriously

I estimate that nine out of 10 auto dealers do not have Google Analytics properly configured to capture valuable online marketing data. As a result, dealers do not have access to metrics that would allow them to quickly inspect the quality of their marketing investments and vendor partners.

A Dealer’s Evolutionary Velocity Journey In Used Vehicles

Nearly a decade ago, I met Brian Benstock, general manager and vice president of Paragon Honda and Paragon Acura in Queens, N.Y. At the time, Benstock thought he was doing pretty well in used vehicles. He retailed 80 units a month, and boasted a front-end gross profit that beat many other dealers.

What’s Your Course Correction In New Cars?

I imagine there have been a lot of long faces on dealers as they reviewed their financial statements from last month.

Ways To Increase Profitability During 2017

Following a buoyant start to 2017, I don’t think anyone believes these financial realities will improve, particularly as predictions for a softer new car market, and a more challenging used vehicle market, increasingly appear likely to prove true. So what can dealers do to increase profitability?

4 Used Vehicle Fundamentals To Help You Stay Strong As Fall Unfolds

There appears to be good news and bad news on the horizon in used vehicles.

3 Best Practices To Beat Used Vehicle Margin Compression

According to leading Automotive society’s, used vehicle gross profits as a percentage of transaction prices has been shrinking, bit by bit, for nearly the past decade.

3 Takeaways to retail a larger share of vehicles in less than 30 days, and improving overall profitability and ROI in used vehicles.