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Discover how the Opportunity List in Automotive Marketing Platform can enhance your sales strategy by providing a centralized hub for high-potential prospects. This tool leverages Cox Automotive’s proprietary data to prioritize leads most likely to convert, including customers ready to buy, actively shopping, or nearing the end of their lease or loan.  

Integrate this powerful resource into your existing workflow, whether for task replacement or data mining, and collaborate with your Marketing Account Manager to tailor its use to your strategy. 

The 2024 Cox Automotive Car Buyer Journey Study is more than just a snapshot of consumer behavior—it’s a roadmap for dealership success in the year ahead. With new-vehicle buyer satisfaction at an all-time high and digital tools playing a bigger role than ever, now is the time to turn insight into action. 
Here’s your five-step action plan to meet rising buyer expectations, streamline operations, and stay ahead of the competition in 2025. 

What the Study Says: 
75% of new-vehicle buyers reported being satisfied with their overall shopping experience—the highest level ever recorded. This surge in satisfaction is largely driven by dealership investments in digital tools. 

Your Move: 
Audit your current digital touchpoints. Are you offering a seamless online-to-in-store experience? Dealertrack’s connected solutions help you streamline the buying process, reduce friction, and deliver the kind of experience today’s buyers expect. 

What the Study Says: 
72% of new-vehicle buyers visited third-party sites during their journey, and 58% visited dealership websites. These buyers are more engaged—and more satisfied. 

Your Move: 
Meet buyers where they are. Create an omnichannel experience by offering digital tools that allow customers to start and even complete the purchase process online. With Dealertrack, you can enable remote signing, digital F&I, and funding packages that work across devices—giving your customers control and convenience. 

What the Study Says: 
Car buyers are spending more time shopping—but not on paperwork. They’re investing time in test drives and learning about features, not sitting in the dealership offices. 

Your Move: 
Use Dealertrack to minimize in-store transactional time. Create workflows that allow your team more time to focus on high-value interactions, and less time on manual tasks. The result? A more efficient dealership that enables faster transactions, less duplicate entry, and more of the pre-work already completed by the time your customers arrive in-person. 

What the Study Says: 
Only 34% of new-vehicle buyers and 41% of used-vehicle buyers felt prices were higher than expected—a notable improvement from previous years. 

Your Move: 
Buyers feel more empowered when they have more information up-front about financing options, choosing their payment plans, and being part of the pricing conversation. Partner with Dealertrack to implement a range of fixed ops, financing, and analytics solutions that improve efficiency and deliver an open and transparent experience for your buyers.  

What the Study Says: 
“Mostly digital” buyers spent just 2 hours and 15 minutes at the dealership—compared to over 3 hours for “light digital” buyers. They were also more satisfied and more trusting of the deal. 

Your Move: 
Put your financing options online. Let customers explore payment plans, add products to their deal, and complete financing before they arrive. Dealertrack makes it easy to digitize the F&I process and deliver a faster, more transparent experience. 

Ready to Lead in 2025? 

The future of car buying is digital, efficient, and customer-first. With Dealertrack, you can turn these insights into action—and action into results. 

Learn more about the results of the Car Buyer Journey Study and see the infographic here: 

Explore the tools that help you deliver the experience today’s buyers expect at https://www.dealertrack.com.  

How AI is Powering Personalized Consumer Experiences 

The most successful dealerships always put people first. It’s a tried-and-true formula that has endured the test of time, not only in automotive retail, but in the wider business world. So, what role does a decidedly non-human artificial intelligence play in the next generation of automotive sales, and why are so many dealers finding success with AI? 

AI Isn’t Replacing Connection, It’s Empowering It 

Even with the rapid emergence of AI and other modern convenience technologies (including automation), one thing hasn’t changed: Dealerships want to connect with car shoppers in a way that feels real. The irony of AI is that it’s empowering dealers to connect with shoppers better than ever before. It’s not removing the “real” human element, it’s actually helping dealers and consumers connect faster, more confidently, and more efficiently.  

The Connection Between AI and Consumer Satisfaction 

According to a recent Cox Automotive study, car shopper satisfaction is at an all-time high. So, what’s behind the numbers? Mark Vickery, AVP of Performance Management at Cox Automotive, attributes the rise in consumer satisfaction to an increase in personalization. In fact, those dealerships that are seeing the biggest gains are proactively providing more personalization, transparency, and control.  

When a shopper feels like the sales team knows them—not just their name, but their shopping journey—that’s when satisfaction spikes. And that’s where AI comes in. AI is helping dealerships see what shoppers are browsing on Autotrader, what vehicle valuations they’re looking up on Kelley Blue Book, and what vehicles they’re researching on a dealership’s site. By collecting and analyzing consumer data, AI allows for smarter, more relevant conversations with consumers.  

The Power of Predictive AI  

Taking the technology a step further, AI has the power to analyze online activity and predict when a shopper is ready to buy. VinSolutions Predictive Insights with GenAI helps dealerships prioritize high-intent leads, coordinate outreach efforts, and create highly personalized messages with a click of a button like, “I’m thrilled to hear you’re interested in the Mazda CX-90! It’s a fantastic choice—packed with advanced safety features and spacious enough to comfortably accommodate a large family, making road trips with the kids a breeze. Based on your trade-in, I’m confident we can put together a great offer to get you behind the wheel of your new Mazda. Let’s make it happen!” 

 The technology does the heavy lifting. Your team builds the real human relationship. 

AI Is a Strategy, Not Just a Technology 

Dealerships that are seeing success with AI are doing more than simply turning on tools. They have a strategy in place with a trusted technology partner to leverage AI and personalize human connections. While successful dealers still put people first, AI is helping to support them in building real relationships, not replace them.  

As personalization continues to become an important differentiator between dealerships, an investment in AI can help build real human connections—turning browsers into buyers and buyers into loyal, lifelong customers. 

In this fast-paced video, Micah Tindor, Senior Director of Strategy at Kelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer, joins Jade Terreberry, Senior Director of Strategic Planning at Cox Automotive, to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming dealership operations—and why successful adoption starts with culture, not just technology. Bridging strategy with execution, the conversation dives into real-world pain points dealers face, such as accurately pricing inventory and assessing mechanical condition. You’ll see how AI tools are helping teams work smarter, respond faster, and close more profitable deals. Drawing on dealer feedback and real-world examples, this video offers actionable insights to foster team buy-in, increase adoption, and make AI truly applicable for your dealership.

Inventory acquisition is one of the biggest challenges facing dealers today—and it’s not getting easier. In a recent podcast, Micah Tindor joined Chrisey O’Hara to unpack this issue following their visit to NIADA, where acquisition was a hot topic among dealers. “Auction and lease volume is down,” Tindor explained. “That leaves dealers with one option: turn to the consumer market.” 

In this article, we’ll break down what’s driving the inventory crunch and how dealers can build the muscle to overcome it. From auction shortages to shifting consumer behavior, both experts focused on how Kelley Blue Book® Instant Cash Offer (ICO) is helping dealers navigate the squeeze. 

The average consumer takes 77 days to sell their vehicle¹, but 56% of Kelley Blue Book® ICO users sell within the first three weeks. ² As Tindor points out, most dealers only follow up on trade-in leads for seven to 30 days—leaving a 47-day gap where potential deals can slip through the cracks. 

Building the Consumer Acquisition Muscle 

Today’s consumers are more informed and more selective. “The average consumer has 2.6 cash offers at the time of sale,” said Tindor. “While both Millennials and Gen Z are now seeking between four and six cash offers”.³  

And while the average consumer takes 77 days to sell their vehicle, 56% of Kelley Blue Book® ICO users sell within the first three weeks. “Over half of our clients are still converting within three weeks,” Tindor noted. But the remaining half? That’s where dealers need to work to build up their follow-up muscle.  

Most dealers follow up with trade-in leads for just 7 to 30 days. That leaves a 47-day gap where potential deals are slipping through the cracks. 

The Inventory Squeeze: What’s Causing It? 

The traditional sources of inventory are drying up. Auction volume is dropping. In fact, “…with off-lease being down by 36% in 2025 and estimated to be down by 27% by 2026, there are simply fewer vehicles flowing back into the market,” according to Tindor.⁴  

With fewer cars available through auctions and lease returns, dealers are increasingly turning to consumers. But sourcing from consumers isn’t just a shift in strategy, as Tindor explains, it’s an opportunity. 

Tools Dealers Can Use for ICO Follow-Up Activation  

Effective ICO follow-up begins with having the right foundational tools in place. These capabilities are essential for any dealership looking to flex those muscles and confidently follow up with expired offers. With these tools, dealers can ensure they’re staying engaged with consumers and maximizing every opportunity to acquire quality inventory. 

CRM Email Journeys  

• Automated Drip Campaigns: Set up time-based email sequences that trigger when an ICO expires.  

• Personalized Messaging: Use dynamic fields to include vehicle details, offer amount, and expiration date.  

• Behavior-Based Triggers: Re-engage customers who opened previous emails but didn’t act. 

SMS/Text Campaigns  

• Quick, direct follow-up with high open rates.  

• Include prompts to schedule an appointment.  

BDC (Business Development Center) Call Scripts  

• Equip BDC reps with tailored scripts to follow up on expired offers.  

• Include talking points like updated market value, trade-in options, and appointment scheduling.   

Kelley Blue Book’s ICO platform is helping dealers close that gap with tools designed for today’s market realities, too.  

Automated Follow-Up with RE-ENGAGE 

• Automatically send personalized email campaigns after an offer expires to keep your dealership top-of-mind and improve conversion rates.  

Coming Soon More Motivation for Consumers…   

A new set of tools to encourage and motivate consumers to visit a dealer will be launched in Q3. Post-expiration email follow-up will enable conversions beyond the expiration date—helping dealers close that 47-day gap and stay top of mind for ICO customers. ICO customers will be automatically added to email journeys that encourage them to re-submit their offer and continue the process of selling or trading-in their vehicle.     

The Bottom Line 

Inventory challenges aren’t going away—but they are evolving. Dealers who adapt by mastering consumer acquisition and leveraging tools like ICO will be best positioned to thrive. 

Now is the time to act. Build muscle. Close the gap. And let Kelley Blue Book ICO help you source smarter. 

Ready to Build Your Muscle? Reach out to our team to learn more about what’s included with your Instant Cash Offer and other exciting enhancements coming soon.  

Get Started. 

¹Source: 2024 Disposal Survey  

²Source: 2024 KBB ICO Transactions  

³ Source: Cox Automotive Research & Intelligence 

⁴ Source: Cox Automotive Data