Online Car Shopping: The Courtship Continues Between Customers and Dealers

Shift Digital Updates "Winning Strategies for Converting Shoppers to Buyers" Study

BIRMINGHAM, Mich., March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2023, Shift Digital released a study where car buying resembled online dating, with customers swiping through a series of prospective dealers but not always finding the "right one." Today, the courtship continues, with technology playing a larger role in bridging the gap between shoppers and dealers.

Shift Digital, the leader in digital marketing program optimization, has released a new report, updating learnings from its "Winning Strategies for Converting Shoppers to Buyers."  Shift Digital's latest report reveals the following:

Digital is the New Storefront
Dealer websites have evolved to become the most influential auto sales tool. In just this last year:

• 14% increase in sales visits as inventory levels stabilize, fueling competition.
• 34% increase in paid traffic, indicating dealers are investing to drive demand.
• 39% increase in Vehicle Detail Page (VDP) views, due to giving shoppers more inventory to explore. And increasingly more advertising campaigns are directing consumers directly to VDPs whether they want to or not.
• 7% decline in standard lead form submissions as mobile shoppers demand faster, easier communication. Reflective of that trend, there was an 11% increase in chat and clicks-to-calls interactions, highlighting the need for immediate, low-friction engagement.
• 74% of traffic comes from mobile, and 99% of dealer sites don't pass Google's core web vital performance standards.

Shifting Lead Volume & Complexity

• 4.5% increase in overall lead volume - the stabilization of inventory and market conditions brought back casual browsers alongside serious buyers.
• Lower-converting sources drove growth. 
  • Third-party and event-based leads up 14%.
  • Close rates are down 14% as third-party sites and events may provide shoppers with more dealer choices to investigate vs. offering up one dealer.
  • Both brand (-5%) and dealer website leads (-8%) declined, but the reduction in these sources was more than made up for in the increased levels of clicks to calls and chats.

Response & Performance 
Every moment is mobile, with the shortest path to a sale being direct dealer engagement with the customer.

• 92% of dealers now respond within one hour, making fast engagement the new standard.
• Dealer Website lead close rates remained the same year-over-year.
• Dealers who prioritize speed, personalization, and seamless mobile interactions will win.

"The question for auto retailers remains 'Are you using your data to constantly assess your strategies and tactics to be able to refine those in an evolving environment?' said Matt VanDyke, President of Shift Digital.  "Dealers need to be able to read the signals from customers as to how they want to communicate with a dealer and then, adjust their digital tools and leads process accordingly."

The New Rules of the Road in 2025
For the year ahead, Shift Digital suggests one thing is clear: Success will require a delicate balance of technology and human touch, speed and quality, immediate response, and long-term nurture. Dan Reynolds, who heads Shift Digital's Advanced Analytics team, suggests there are basics to address in 2025.

• Prioritize High-Quality Imagery – Well-executed physical photography, or the latest 'photo real' CGI imagery, perform equally well.
• Invest In VIN Specific Imagery -- Using high-quality imagery accurately representing the vehicles' features, instead of 'coming soon' placeholders or stock imagery drives 21% more VDP views and 19% more window sticker views.
• Showcase Your Own Dealership -- Including the dealership as the background for vehicle imagery builds customer trust and increases customer engagement by 11%.

"Dealers need to dominate their digital showroom as today's buyers choose their cars online before choosing their dealer," Reynolds said. "The ability to maximize mobile is critical as car shopping has become a throughout-the-day activity, primarily conducted on mobile devices."

Reynolds suggests that while more leads may be coming into a dealership, the secret to converting them to sales is sharper targeting than ever before.  He adds that while fast response times are the goal, the responses to customers must be quality – answering the questions or concerns quickly and personally or with simple calls to action.

"If you've ever heard the phrase 'less is more,' you already understand the concept," Reynolds said. "Simplify the actions you ask potential customers to take on your website. When customers aren't sure what they want, overwhelming them with choices only adds pressure—especially when deciding how to contact the dealer."

Download the complete report here.

About Shift Digital:  Shift Digital is a leader in marketing optimization and data activation. Our comprehensive data management technologies and support services help national brands and local retailers transform their digital marketing and sales initiatives. Shift Digital's technology helps customers eliminate blind spots in digital marketing programs by providing actionable insights. Backed by extensive research and continuous improvement, Shift Digital's cutting-edge technology empowers businesses to gain a comprehensive view of their customers' data, unveiling new ways to supercharge digital marketing efforts.

SOURCE Shift Digital