More than a third of GM’s 4,300 U.S. dealers are enrolling in “Shop-Click-Drive,” an online internet-shopping tool that could eventually displace traditional auto salespeople. It lets consumers choose a specific vehicle, get estimated pricing, review available incentives, learn about and choose financing and insurance products, get information about their trade-in and apply for financing, all online.
To date, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac dealers have sold only 1,800 vehicles using this tool since its November 2013 launch.
“We wanted to be among the first dealerships to market with ‘Shop-Click-Drive’ because it provides the experience that our customers expect from retailers,” says Dan Endress, director of digital marketing, Paddock Chevrolet in Kenmore, NY. “In a retail environment where it’s become harder to differentiate yourself from the competition, ‘Shop-Click-Drive’ is a refreshing addition to our marketing arsenal.”
GM dealers in 47 states now offer “Shop-Click-Drive.” To learn more and to see the list of participating dealers, visit http://www.shopclickdrive.com.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
