Dealership profits and the consumer experience have always been (and will forever be) inseparably connected. As trends, market conditions, and technologies change, the way you treat your shoppers and the experiences that you deliver are always in your control. 

Even amid current economic uncertainty and an ever-growing list of factors that impact profitability, your long-term success is tied to the consumer experience. If shoppers have a great experience at your dealership, they will keep coming back—and their positive opinions will impact others’ perceptions of your dealership too. 

A Decline in Dealership Confidence   

Dealers are overall less optimistic about market conditions in 2025, despite surges in consumer traffic and signs of improved profitability. More dealers perceive the market as weak, rather than strong, and the coming year is expected to be a roller coaster for the industry in terms of market outlook for dealers.  

This decline in dealer confidence can be attributed to a number of factors, including shrinking margins and rising floorplan and advertising costs. More recently, market volatility and the uncertainty of tariffs have played a major role in diminishing consumer confidence and dealership profitability. 

Despite these trends and sentiments, you can still create a car buying experience at your dealership that will generate leads, bring in new shoppers, and improve profitability. As you focus on putting the shopper experience first, profitability usually falls into place.  

What Consumers Want 

When your shoppers are happy, your dealership generates repeat business, better word of mouth in the marketplace, and lifetime value across the ownership journey. So, what do consumers want? They want an experience that prioritizes transparency, trust, convenience, and more shopping options. 

Transparency and Trust 

Shoppers want to trust dealers. While they understand that you’re in the business of selling cars and turning a profit, they want to know that you have their interests in mind too, and that you’re going to give them a fair deal for their vehicle. 

That means giving your shoppers fair, upfront, and consistent information on vehicle pricing, and having open and honest communications to help them feel secure about their purchase decisions.  

Personalized, Convenient Shopping Options 

Shoppers don’t just want options in terms of the variety and number of vehicles you offer. They want options in the way they shop and build a deal with your dealership. Some want to shop online, others want to shop in-store, and most will utilize some combination of shopping options.  

No matter how or where they shop, however, consumers want to see the same deal terms at every touchpoint. This consistency adds convenience to shopping experience and builds trust in your dealership. Nothing undermines consumer confidence more than seeing a different price on the same vehicle at different times in the shopping process. 

Data and Tools Work Together to Unlock the Experiences Consumers Want 

Shoppers are sharing more information about themselves and their interests than ever before. But with this information, it’s important to remember that car buyers want to buy a car; they don’t want to be sold a car. With the right shopper data and the right tools to help you make sense of your data, you can deliver the experiences shoppers want.  

• Time Savings: Efficiency and the consumer experience are tied together. Lengthy wait times caused by redundant data entry and complex paperwork only frustrate customers. On the other hand, digital tools that automate and streamline processes allow you to serve more shoppers more efficiently, improving overall satisfaction. 

• Tech-Driven Experiences: Consumers have grown accustomed to tech-driven shopping and buying experiences. No matter where they shop, they expect an experience similar to online retail giants that incorporate cutting-edge technologies to streamline the purchase process. Dealerships that adopt these technologies deliver on the high expectations of today’s consumers. 

• Transparency and Confidence: Consumers want to know that they’re getting a good deal when they buy from you. When you deliver a transparent shopping and buying experience with honest communication and pricing, consumer confidence and trust increases. This leads to happier buyers who become lifelong customers and refer others to your dealership.  

• Generative AI: This technology allows you to automatically create personalized customer communications with the click of a button. You can send engaging texts and emails that include crucial details such as vehicle of interest, trade-in, purchase/service history, and more. This approach saves time while ensuring you remain in control of the message.  

• AI-Powered Deal Making: Artificial intelligence technologies are making it easy for shoppers to start buying a car online and pick up where they left off in your store. This technology gives shoppers the ability to collaborate with your team to build a deal that maintains consistency across shopping options to ensure transparency and build trust.  

Data and Tools Working Together  

Even when factors outside your control seem to be working against your dealership, you can control the consumer experience. With data that gives you a full, accurate picture of every shopper and tools help you to make sense of your data, you can deliver the experiences shoppers want and ensure continued profitability and long-term success for your dealership.