How retailers can support ecommerce car sales

ecommerce car sales are not the future. People are buying cars online right now. And, those retailers who are set up to support this ecommerce demand are reaping the rewards.

What about those who aren’t? We know that many retailers still rely on multiple systems and manual processes to prep their cars, manage their inventory and advertise on third party sites. 

This is time consuming and it can affect speed to market, which is so critical to meet consumer demand online. So what’s the solution

Automation

Technology can do many of your manual tasks, automatically. By digitising many of your offline systems and processes, you’ll become more efficient and effective. 

The pay off? If you have an efficient process for preparing stock, managing inventory and getting cars to market quickly you’ll sell more cars. Simple.

But where do you start to implement a digital transformation for your retail operations?

Many retailers opt to work with a 3rd party technology partner (like Autofinity) to help digitise their processes. Using API technology, it’s possible to simply plug-in your existing database to a single inventory management system AND 3rd party advertising sites. 

Imagine being able to manage your inventory, advertise stock and get advertising insight all from within a single hub? Technology makes this possible.

Data

Before you begin thinking about the technology, it’s important to focus on the data. Images, descriptions, CAP data – you’ll want the latest and most up to date.

Remember that consumers rely on trust to make their ecommerce car sales. So you’ll need to give them the forecourt experience in a digital environment. Think about how you can present each car in the most detailed and accurate way to inspire trust.

There’s little point investing in a shiny front-end website when the data that powers it is poor.

Speed

Digital shoppers expect things to happen quickly. In fact, speed is one of the many benefits of ecommerce retailing. 

If you can’t get your cars to market quickly, consumers will buy elsewhere. Speed to market matters more than ever, and many digital platforms offer single click advertising to 3rd party sites like AutoTrader. If it’s taking you a week to get your stock to market, it’s time to optimise your process.

Flexibility

Many of the retailers we work with approached us because they were previously tied into old, outdated proprietary inventory management systems. These included the back-end (data bit) and the front-end (presentation bit).

The problem with this approach is that it doesn’t lend itself to flexibility. What if you want to work with other third party providers? Or test out new technology? Let’s say your needs change and you want to amend one part of your system but not all of it?

Retailers can support ecommerce car sales by offering a genuinely flexible experience. Choose technology that allows you to serve your stock to consumers in the way they want it, and be open to changing your offering if their needs change. Flexibility is key!

About Autofinity

We’re a team of highly experienced automotive professionals with significant expertise in inventory management, marketing, data and software development.

Our Customer Service is where we shine – we provide a dedicated and personalised service to every client.

It’s our goal to help our clients work more efficiently and profitably, so everything we do has this in ambition in mind. Get in touch to find out how we can help you optimise your sales operations to support ecommerce sales.

Get in touch to discuss your goals and needs, and find out how Autofinity can help.

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