Manufacturer Mandated Dealer Websites
Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2001 7:15 am
My company provides a service to dealers to help them sell more used cars via: the internet. In my opinion, selling used cars via: the web is one of the biggest challanges faced by Internet Managers!
In my calls on dealers, I have found a majority now have Factory controlled websites, usually by "XXXXX", "XXXXX" or the likes. These sites severely limit where a dealer can link out to and the content his site can include. Each one looks like the next one, with the same content and tools.
This is obviously a controll issue by the manufacturers but also limits the ability of the Internet Dept. to sell cars. The successful Internet dealers I see almost all have custom websites designed to sell cars, not promote the brand like the factory sites.
I think the dealers see this as an easy way to have a web presence and satisfy the factory. The hook for the factory is no factory website, no leads from them.
Any thoughts on this situation?
Tom Browder
In my calls on dealers, I have found a majority now have Factory controlled websites, usually by "XXXXX", "XXXXX" or the likes. These sites severely limit where a dealer can link out to and the content his site can include. Each one looks like the next one, with the same content and tools.
This is obviously a controll issue by the manufacturers but also limits the ability of the Internet Dept. to sell cars. The successful Internet dealers I see almost all have custom websites designed to sell cars, not promote the brand like the factory sites.
I think the dealers see this as an easy way to have a web presence and satisfy the factory. The hook for the factory is no factory website, no leads from them.
Any thoughts on this situation?
Tom Browder
[This message has been edited by jimmuntz (edited 04-12-2001).]