1. VDP Views

If you’re a new or used car dealer then your VDP pages are arguably some of the most valuable pages you have on your website. With a proven correlation between VDP views and actual sales it’s undoubtedly in your best interest to rack up as many VDP views as possible which means that customers browsing through your SRP’s ( search results pages ) need to see something they like. Studies have shown – and your own experience likely backs it up – that vehicle listings with high-quality images are more likely to be clicked on while vehicles with poor images or no images tend to be ignored.

There are several quality inventory management apps available that seamlessly walks you through the entire vehicle step by step so you can capture great photos that not only drive customers to your VDP’s, but keep them there!

2. Video Capture

69% of people who use Youtube while buying a car, are influenced by it – more than tv, newspapers, or magazines. Also, did you know that time spent watching auto videos like vehicle test drives, highlights of features and option, and walkthroughs of the interior or exterior of the vehicle increased nearly double year over year? You can reference some of these stats at thinkwithgoogle.com but clearly video shouldn’t be ignored in your automotive digital strategy. Integrating video capture into your vehicle merchandising isn’t a difficult process and you can upload directly to both Youtube and your website to help you drive more sales.

3. Speed

Getting your vehicles merchandised and onto your website quickly is a key strategy in maximizing your return on investment. As a sales manager or dealer principle you’re already familiar with the concept of floor-planning – the value of your inventory decreases each day they sit on the lot so a quicker turn-around translates into more profits. The average car dealership takes 7-10 days to recondition and get their cars ready for sale, how long does it take you? With the help of an inventory tool and some sound process you can merchandise your cars faster so you stop losing money on wait times.