Making decisions about vehicle inventory is one of the toughest parts of managing a dealership, particularly in our rapidly changing world.
How can you maximize profits on your used cars?
How can you leverage your data to make informed choices about ordering new vehicles?
How can you acquire quality pre-owned inventory from your local area when the manufacturer well runs dry?
How can you effectively plan and order for the future needs of your customers without getting overloaded with parts and vehicles that you can’t sell?
How can you convert more website viewers to leads and sales?
Your ace in the pocket for navigating the above questions (and so many more) is having a reliable vehicle inventory management system. But not just any ol’ system will do. It’s important to consider how inventory management can support your business, including the types of products you sell, what your vehicle display pages (VDPs) need to look like, how your customers are finding you online, and more.
In this article, we’re diving into the key benefits of having a sound inventory management system at your dealership, and how FlexDealer’s inventory solutions are helping new and used car dealers effectively manage and move their inventory. Let’s go!
1. Boost SEO by having individual VDPs for each piece of inventory.
If you don’t have a VDP for each piece of inventory on your lot, you can be missing out on vital search engine results (SRPs) and search engine optimization (SEO). Since SRPs in automotive tend to be dominated by big OEMs and companies like Craigslist and CarFax, smaller dealerships have to work a lot harder to get noticed online.
That’s why we created an inventory management system that makes it easy for both new and used auto dealerships to get their VDPs updated quickly with built-in fields that will help you rank against the competition. Simply add the required information and we’ll take care of the rest. You can even upload photos and videos right from your mobile device, helping save you valuable time.
2. Organize your lot virtually so your customers can find what they’re looking for quickly and easily.
With the massive increase in digital retail, the days of “come visit our lot from 9:00 to 5:00” are over. Your website needs to be working hard even when your doors are closed and your inventory needs to be easily accessible, so the average shopper can locate the information they need 24/7.
A vibrant, well-organized, and a clean digital lot will make it easy for your customers to explore your inventory and move deeper into the sales funnel.
3. Create a virtual showroom of your inventory.
Showcase all of the most important features of your vehicles right on the VDP, including price, mileage, vehicle history reports, warranty information, and selling features. With FlexDealer’s powerful inventory management system, you can include unique features like your tagline, “coming soon” banners, photos, and key information at the top of the page to increase conversions.
4. Inventory ads can be used to target a specific audience.
Having your inventory organized and optimized online makes it a lot easier for your paid ads to land in front of the right eyes. You can target specific audiences in specific geographic areas with a specific inventory. We know, we know - that’s a lot of specifics! But it’s important to use targeted ads because you’re more likely to capture a genuinely interested lead when you serve them the right vehicle ad at the right time.
5. Inventory management can save your dealership money and time.
Remember those questions from the beginning of this post? Many of them can be solved by having a reliable inventory management system. The dealership data you gain from this system will inform everything from your inventory planning to sales projections to budgeting, and your projections will help ensure that you have enough inventory to meet demand without being stuck with stale vehicles or parts.
Explore the Possibilities of FlexDealer’s Vehicle Inventory Management System for Your Dealer Website
Flex offers powerful, reliable, and smart inventory management solutions for a wide range of dealer partners. Our tech was designed to be your workhorse and offers virtually limitless capabilities. Schedule a free consult to explore the possibilities of Flex Tech and how our inventory management solutions can help your dealership grow.
