Buyers have changed how they shop online—fast, mobile, and comparison-first. Dealers who keep their digital storefront, inventory, and response time sharp continue to sell; the rest hand shoppers over to a competitor. It’s the natural evolution of industry, and it’s changing the way dealers and shoppers do business.
Today’s forward-thinking dealers are turning their websites into digital storefronts that offer a complete online shopping experience for customers. This article will explore the best practices for your dealership to achieve this transformation and enhance your sales potential by addressing what a digital storefront is and detailing the important features it must have.
What is a Digital Storefront
A digital storefront is more than a website. It’s a complete, one-stop shopping solution for your dealership and your shoppers. It’s specifically designed to replicate the experience of your physical dealership for selling units and related products.
A digital storefront goes beyond the basics of an ordinary website to offer a more immersive and interactive online shopping experience for those interested in actually purchasing a unit, parts, accessories, or services. While both websites and digital storefronts are online platforms, the key distinction lies in their primary purpose and functionality.
- Website: The functionality of a website ranges from simple informational browsing to engaging with various types of content. It may include interactive elements like contact forms, search features, and multimedia content, but it may not necessarily support eCommerce transactions.
- Digital storefront: The primary function of a digital storefront is to identify qualified leads and facilitate online sales. It includes eCommerce tools, such as shopping carts, secure payment processing, and order management, to empower customers to make purchases directly from your site. The hallmark features of a digital storefront include:
- Comprehensive product listings
- eCommerce integrations
- High-quality inventory images and videos
- Inventory management and marketing
- Online appointment bookings
- Online payment and financing options
- Streamlined customer support
Not Enough to Just Have a Website
There are several reasons modern dealers need to invest in a digital storefront. The first (and probably most important) reason is to expand sales opportunities. A digital storefront extends your dealership’s reach beyond your physical location. It enables you to tap into a larger customer base, attracting buyers who might not have been aware of your dealership or visited your physical showroom otherwise.
It also allows you to reduce the number of services you have to outsource. Instead of juggling multiple contracts and vendor relations, you can consolidate your digital operations under a small handful of vendors to manage your website, digital marketing, eCommerce process, inventory marketing, and more.
In addition to these obvious benefits for your dealership, your digital storefront enables you to better understand modern consumers and meet their increasingly high expectations. Never assume that modern eCommerce tactics are only for the younger generations of shoppers. Your digital storefront reflects the natural evolution of eCommerce, as these services continue to meet the needs of people all over the country.
In simple terms, modern consumers have become accustomed to the convenience of online shopping. They expect seamless and comprehensive online experiences and are heavily influenced by brands like Amazon. They have adopted the modern consumer mindset that shopping should be easy—a matter of simply going online and ordering a new part or scheduling a service appointment without needing to visit the dealership first. A few of these customer conveniences include:
- Always-open dealership: Unlike your physical dealership, your digital storefront is open 24/7. This means shoppers can browse, research, and make purchases at their convenience, even outside of regular business hours, leading to increased sales and customer satisfaction. Your digital showroom can detail product listings and invite website visitors to text your dealership, allowing shoppers to replicate the in-store experience online, regardless of the time of day or night.
- Complete buying experience: A digital storefront also enables you to focus on the buying process, not just gathering leads. If your website focuses solely on lead generation and lacks the necessary tools and features to support the entire buying process, you risk losing potential customers to competitors who offer a more comprehensive online experience.
- Expanded dealer appeal: Not all customers are the same, and their needs and preferences can vary widely. Some may prefer to research online and complete the purchase entirely through the website, while others may use the website for initial research and then visit the dealership in person. By focusing on the full buying process, you cater to a diverse range of consumer needs and preferences, ensuring that your dealership is accessible and accommodating to all.
Key Features
Even if your dealership has a digital storefront that empowers customers to make online purchases, not all storefronts are built the same. Some appeal to modern shoppers better than others. Specifically, your customers are looking for the following user-friendly features in your digital storefront.
Website Design
Your website should be designed to walk shoppers down the path to purchase. That means providing easy navigation options so shoppers can quickly find your units, parts, and services, and locate the item or service they want. You should also inform customers of how to contact your dealership and schedule an appointment online. This is especially important for optimizing dealership traffic, particularly during peak sales seasons. A user-friendly storefront enables your shoppers to accomplish most of what they need on your website without overwhelming busy times at the dealership.
Complying with Manufacturer Policies
Many manufacturers have heavy website requirements for dealers who carry their brands, including having a high-quality website. These can include requirements for displaying certain promotions, spec data, and MAP policies. Working with a website vendor who understands these requirements can help you ensure your digital storefront is up to code and that you’re protected from any violations that could result in costly fines.
Calls to Action
Consider the efficacy of the calls-to-action on your website and whether they empower shoppers to take actionable steps that clearly demonstrate their level of interest. Relying on calls-to-action like “Contact Us” or “Request a Quote” won’t lead shoppers toward the next step along the path to purchase. For cold or lukewarm leads, these types of calls to action are unlikely to result in a conversion. At best, they may lead to an influx of leads, making it more difficult for your team to follow up with every contact request and resulting in multiple unopened leads each month.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t include these types of CTAs, but you should always provide shoppers with follow-up steps to keep them moving down the funnel while they wait for your reply. Include prompts for shoppers to value their trade-in, submit a finance application, calculate a monthly payment, and schedule a test drive. These are indicative of a low-funnel lead with a high likelihood of conversion.
Detailed Product Listings
Detailed product listings are the fuel that powers the online sales engine. They provide customers with the information they need to make confident decisions and build trust in your dealership. Today’s customers expect more than just a glimpse of the unit, part, or accessory they want to purchase. They crave detailed information and an immersive experience.
Consider the user experience on popular eCommerce websites—every individual product has a description with lots of detailed information. Shoppers can also filter by product features and preferences, while also viewing related inventory. Your digital storefront should include similarly detailed product listings for each unit and product in your inventory, with the following information:
- Technical specifications: List every technical detail, from engine type to horsepower and torque. Include information on any unique features or technology.
- Availability & inventory status: Inform shoppers whether the vehicle is in stock or if it’s a special order. Highlight any limited-time offers or promotions.
- Accessories & upgrades: Suggest compatible accessories, gear, or upgrades that can enhance the buyer’s experience. This cross-selling tactic can increase sales and customer satisfaction.
- Maintenance & service recommendations: Provide information on recommended maintenance schedules and service intervals. Shoppers appreciate knowing how to take care of their investment, and it subtly plants the image in their mind of your dealership as a service center.
- Comparison tools: Offer tools that allow customers to compare multiple products side by side. This helps customers evaluate their options more easily.
Parts, Accessories & Service Info
Shoppers expect to find everything they need online and prefer to avoid calling or visiting dealerships for questions or product information. Yesterday’s phone calls are today’s online searches. If a shopper needs a part, they want to order it online. If a shopper needs a service, they want to be confident that the dealer provides that service and delivers good quality. In other words, shoppers who visit your website want to read third-party customer reviews. Displaying parts, accessories, services, and related reviews on your website offers customers a one-stop shop, saving them time and effort.
In addition to providing your customers with what they want, your dealership can also benefit by offering upsell opportunities. For example, if someone is browsing for a new exhaust system, you can suggest complementary products, such as an air filter or a tuning service. Your parts and accessories listings should include compatibility information, ensuring that shoppers select products that are compatible with their specific unit. This eliminates the uncertainty and potential hassle of purchasing items that may not fit or work as intended.
When it comes to service, shoppers want to gauge what they can expect. For service listings, such as maintenance and repair services, provide detailed information about the scope of services, pricing, estimated completion time, and the overall experience that shoppers can expect from your service department. Listings for services reassure shoppers that your dealership is equipped to handle their needs. This kind of clear service availability information, along with the option to schedule appointments online, can make shoppers more confident in your dealership’s ability to provide timely support.
Creating a single stop for all customer needs keeps customers coming back for more business. After all, you don’t want your shoppers to buy from you and then go to another business, like an auto shop, for service. Communicate with shoppers that your dealership offers everything they need for inventory, PG&A, and services. By offering your customers a full lineup of parts, accessories, services, and reviews, you can turn buyers into repeat customers and eventually sell them on another large purchase later down the road.
Inventory Marketing
Inventory marketing, the process of displaying and advertising your inventory listings on your website and third-party marketplaces, is a great way to engage customers and increase sales. But keeping product listings up to date and accurate requires meticulous management.
It means constantly adding new arrivals and removing sold items in real-time. Choosing an inventory management system that seamlessly integrates with your eCommerce platform allows you to automate this process, updating your inventory levels when a purchase is made and preventing discrepancies.
If you’re in the market for a new DMS provider, choose one that can integrate with your inventory module and your website’s eCommerce platform. Typically, when dealers partner with an eCommerce vendor, the vendor provides a lot of data upfront, but if the dealer wants to add their own information, they have to do so manually.
Using a DMS that integrates with your inventory and online sales process results in a single solution for units, parts, and services. This means no extra manual effort is required from you to update inventory listings and product availability each time a piece of inventory is sold.
Digital Showrooms
As more consumers turn to the internet for their shopping needs, it’s becoming increasingly essential to embrace the digital showroom. As you showcase your inventory to your customers, go beyond the basics of a website to offer a more immersive experience.
Instead of static images and text descriptions, offer shoppers an interactive experience that closely replicates the feeling of being in your physical dealership. Implement the following best practices when presenting your digital showroom:
- Include high-quality images and videos of your inventory to captivate your audience, allowing potential customers to explore the details, features, and aesthetics of each unit from the comfort of their homes, any time of day or night.
- Invest in professional photography and videography to capture your units from every angle and effectively showcase their features. The foundation of a compelling digital showroom is high-quality visuals.
- Include images and videos that show the unit from various angles.
- Highlight key features, design elements, and any unique selling points. Zoom in on specific features and details, such as the engine, suspension, dashboard, and interior.
- Provide close-up shots and videos to help potential buyers inspect the unit thoroughly.
- Ensure consistent lighting. This is crucial for accurately showcasing units. Use proper lighting equipment to eliminate shadows and ensure that colors appear true to life.
- Optimize for fast loading. Large, high-resolution images and videos can slow down your website. Optimize media files for fast loading times without compromising quality. Use responsive design to ensure they adapt to different screen sizes.
- Provide descriptive captions and information. Each image or video should be accompanied by descriptive captions and relevant information. Include specifications, pricing, and any unique selling points to help customers make informed decisions.
- Use SEO to make your inventory images searchable on the web, including the following SEO strategies:
- Give your image files descriptive and keyword-rich names. Avoid generic names like “IMG_12345.jpg.” Instead, use names that reflect the product, such as “2023-Honda-CBR1000RR-Red.jpg.”
- Use alt text to provide a brief description of the image’s content and to help search engines understand what the image is about. This will improve the chances of appearing in image search results. Be sure to include relevant keywords while keeping text concise and descriptive.
- Ensure that thumbnail images are properly sized and optimized for optimal display. Thumbnails are often used in search results and category pages, so they should load quickly and be visually appealing.
- Organize your images and videos into user-friendly galleries and implement features like zoom and autoplay for videos. This enables shoppers to easily navigate between different vehicles and media types.
- Make sure that your images and videos are optimized for mobile devices. Test how they appear and function on smartphones and tablets to provide a seamless experience for mobile users.
- Include full-spin images. 360-degree images provide a dynamic and interactive view of units, allowing potential buyers to examine them from every angle. When using full-spin images, remember the following:
- Use a high-resolution digital camera or a smartphone with a good camera.
- Consider purchasing an application designed for 360-degree photography. This will ensure consistent rotation and precise image capture.
- Set up your photography area in a well-lit space with even lighting. Natural light can work well, but you may need additional lighting equipment for consistent results.
- Use a neutral, non-distracting background that won’t draw attention away from the unit.
- Keep your digital showroom fresh by regularly updating images and videos as new inventory arrives. Remove or update listings for sold vehicles promptly.
Reviews & Testimonials
Displaying customer reviews and testimonials effectively on your digital storefront can build trust, credibility, and confidence in your dealership. But customer reviews should include more than just generic praise. Encourage customers to provide specific details about their experience, such as the unit model or part they purchased, the buying process, and any standout features.
While it’s tempting to showcase only positive reviews, it’s essential to maintain authenticity and balance. Include both positive and negative reviews and respond professionally to all reviews. Select standout quotes from positive reviews and prominently display them on your homepage or key landing pages. These snippets should be concise and capture the essence of customer satisfaction.
Offer your team the option to respond to reviews, both positive and negative. Responding to negative reviews with professionalism and a commitment to addressing concerns can also demonstrate excellent customer service. Podium found that 56% of consumers have changed their perspective on a business based on the response to their review.
If you’re stretched too thin to stay on top of review responses or add new reviews to your website, consider using a review management tool to automatically integrate reviews on third-party platforms with your website.
Texting & Customer Support
Offering a dynamic texting service and providing excellent online customer support is key to engaging potential buyers, answering their questions, and ultimately driving sales. MailChimp reports that 45% of consumers will respond to marketing text messages. But you have to be responsive. It’s critical to ensure fast response times; otherwise, texting could end up being more of a burden for your customers.
Aim to respond to text messages within 24 hours or less. Implement automated messages if you’re not able to acknowledge the customer’s query within a matter of hours. Because you can’t offer round-the-clock texting, it’s essential to clearly communicate your available hours and establish automated responses to frequently asked questions to satisfy shoppers who contact you outside of business hours or during peak periods.
Train your team to maintain a consistent standard for texting shoppers, including the following best practices:
- Equip your customer support team with comprehensive product knowledge and customer service skills.
- Ensure they are well-trained to handle common inquiries and can provide accurate information about units, financing options, promotions, and other relevant details.
- Develop a library of pre-written responses for frequently asked questions. This enables your team to deliver consistent and timely responses while minimizing response times.
- Offer multiple ways for shoppers to interact with your brand. Some will still want to call you directly, but many want to send a quick text to verify your store hours and confirm you offer the unit or part they want.
Online Payment Calculations
Many dealers are hesitant to display pricing on their websites, fearing it will deter shoppers or give competitors an edge. However, if shoppers have to drive all the way to your dealership just to find a price, it wastes time for both you and your customers, and it’s unlikely to result in a quality interaction. It’s frustrating for shoppers because they have to go out of their way to learn that a product they want is far outside their budget. You also waste your time and resources interacting with upper funnel leads who aren’t ready to make a purchase.
It’s true that manufacturers sometimes have strict policies regarding the display of pricing for their lineups. This puts you in a tough position because you can’t drop the website price below a certain point without risking a policy violation. That means you can’t always offer online customers the same great deals you might offer at the dealership. Still, you can try to simplify the buying process for every shopper.
Start off on the right foot with the shopper by delivering the information they need to make a purchase and by communicating the value of your inventory. Even if you have to follow manufacturer regulations for pricing that prevent you from displaying online discounts, you still have the opportunity to negotiate with interested shoppers. Once the shopper visits the dealership, you can offer a more favorable deal on the unit in person.
An online payment calculation tool is another great way to help shoppers feel that the price is both fair and affordable. It can help potential customers estimate the cost of purchasing a unit or related product, including providing them with the ability to view monthly payments and financing options.
When implementing a payment calculation tool, provide fields for key variables such as the purchase price, down payment amount, interest rate, loan term, and any additional fees or taxes. The more comprehensive the inputs, the more accurate the estimate will be. After users receive their estimate, provide links or information about financing options, such as those offered by different lenders or in-house financing programs.
Financing Options
As you know, many of your customers rely on financing options. Offering online financing tools, such as a payment calculator on your website, can be a game-changer. If a shopper has to go from the dealership to the bank and back to secure financing, you’re introducing a lot of extra steps and increasing your chances of losing the lead.
Providing information about financing plans, interest rates, and monthly payment estimates allows you to move beyond gathering leads. It lets your leads self-qualify on your website. Financing services also enable shoppers to demonstrate good credit and confirm their loan approval. This is especially important for dealers offering wholesale unit BOPIS – the shopper can secure financing and place the purchase on the website.
In short, having a financing tool on your website is a great way to identify qualified buyers – a finance submission automatically shows a lead is ready to buy. Collaborate with financing partners to streamline the approval process and make it as convenient as possible for your customers.
eCommerce
To take your basic online brochure to a digital storefront, you need to add eCommerce. Utilize reputable eCommerce platforms that offer secure payment processing, inventory management, and order tracking. And, be sure to implement a robust search function with filters and sorting options to help shoppers quickly find the products they’re interested in.
To reduce cart abandonment rates and enhance the overall shopping experience, implement user-friendly shopping carts and a seamless checkout process. Always allow buyers to save their shipping and billing information for future purchases.
You can let your customers know that security is a priority for you by integrating secure payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, or other trusted providers. Ensure that customer payment information is encrypted and protected. Invest in SSL certificates to secure customer data during transactions. Display trust seals and badges to reassure customers of the safety of their information.
Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store
Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS) is a retail strategy that allows customers to place online orders and collect their purchases at a physical store location. This approach has gained significant popularity in recent years, benefiting both customers and dealers in the following ways:
- Shopper convenience: By offering a BOPIS service, you provide customers with the flexibility to shop inventory from the comfort of their own homes or while on the move, eliminating the need for time-consuming in-store visits.
- Greater availability: For customers with traditional 9-to-5 work hours, visiting your physical store during the week can be challenging. BOPIS allows these individuals to place orders for units, parts, and accessories outside of your dealership’s operating hours and pick them up over the weekend. This way, they can rest assured that the desired product will remain available until they’re able to come get it.
- Fewer lost leads: Especially during peak seasons when you’re stretched thin and can’t answer every phone call or follow up with every website lead, you can provide instructions on your voicemail and on your website for shoppers to make a purchase online and arrange in-store pickups. When shoppers click on a product listing on your site, they can check if the item is eligible for in-store pickup and see the estimated availability timeframe. Once an online order is placed, customers can receive email notifications detailing the order’s status and instructions on where and how to retrieve the product at your store.
Website Data & Analytics
Tracking tools, including web analytics, provide valuable data and insights to help you optimize your website operations and enhance the customer experience. They can also give you greater insight into your customers’ behavior in the following ways:
- Visitor traffic: Tracking tools provide data on the number of visitors to your website, where they originate, and which pages they visit. This can help you identify which products are most popular and which pages are accessed frequently.
- User flow: These tools can help you visualize the path visitors take through your website. You can see where users drop off or abandon your site, highlighting areas that may need improvement in terms of user experience.
- Conversion rates: These tools help you track the percentage of visitors who complete desired actions, such as making a purchase, submitting a finance application, or requesting more information. They can also help you identify conversion bottlenecks.
- Customer support: Tracking tools can help you identify common customer issues or questions, so you can proactively address these concerns through improved website content or by offering real-time support through texting or FAQ sections.
- Call tracking: These tools can help you understand why shoppers are calling your dealership and the most popular call times, allowing you to identify trends and better comprehend the needs of your customer base.
By leveraging the power of analytics, you can make informed decisions that lead to increased sales, customer satisfaction, and greater competitiveness in your market.
Switch to a Digital Storefront
The dealership business is changing. Dealers need to add online features to their websites so customers can shop easily from home. By implementing features that empower shoppers to complete the path to purchase, such as comprehensive product listings, eCommerce integration, financing options, and digital showrooms, you can drive sales and stay competitive in the digital age. Embrace these best practices, and your dealership will be well-positioned for success in the evolving digital market.
Unlock your online store’s potential. Work with a digital partner who understands your industry’s unique challenges and can deliver powerful digital solutions that engage your shoppers longer and drive more qualified shoppers. Don’t hold back—get results today!
Choosing the Right Digital Partner
Choosing the right partner is about setting your Recreation dealership up for lasting success.