CNW Research defines an “emotional buyer” as one who buys a used vehicle to fulfill his or her dream of owning that specific model. And according to this month’s Retail Automotive Summary from CNW, this kind of buyer is coming back to the dealership. So, what's behind the resurgence? It appears economic improvement has played […] [Read More]

Kelley Blue Book unveiled the 2013 model-year vehicle winners of its Best Resale Value Awards this morning and dominating the competition were Toyota and Lexus. For the second straight year, this pair swept the Best Resale Value brand rankings, with Toyota winning among the non-luxury makes and Lexus taking top honors in the luxury category. […] [Read More]

Just before Thanksgiving, the Federal Reserve Board and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced increases in the dollar thresholds in Regulation Z (Truth in Lending) and Regulation M (Consumer Leasing) for exempt consumer credit and lease transactions. Officials said these increases are consistent with the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act amendments to […] [Read More]

No matter the media buy — print, direct mail, email, television, radio or online — one veteran dealer marketing executive believes there is one metric principal managers need to watch when it comes to promoting the store, inventory, special campaigns and more. “I know when we look at an ad budget for a dealer, it […] [Read More]

The brand rankings in the 14th annual ALG Residual Value Awards winners announced this morning marked both a sweep and reclaimed crowns. Honda took top honors on the mainstream brand side following a three-year absence from the No. 1 spot, while Acura ranked first on the luxury side, ending a two-year absence. These brands combined […] [Read More]

The fiscal cliff is all the talk in Washington, D.C., nowadays since lawmakers must decide if the Bush-era tax cuts and a 2-percentage point payroll tax deduction among other elements will be extended by Jan. 1. Kelley Blue Book did some calculations recently to find out exactly what these tax issues mean to a typical […] [Read More]

These days, a dealer can assume that most every customer that comes through the store’s doors has searched the Internet once or twice before deciding on a dealership to try out. But how and when are shoppers turning to search engines, dealership websites and third-party sites during the shopping process? For a special "Advertising Ideas […] [Read More]

A behind-the-scenes look at one of the nation’s largest auto auctions and its processes was the latest course of study for students of the Auction Academy. The Academy’s inaugural class, dubbed the Next Generation/Sons and Daughters, took part in a two-day curriculum offering insights into the detailed preparations and processes used by Southern Auto Auction. […] [Read More]

In keeping with its goal of serving all professionals within the collateral recovery industry, Recovery Industry Services Co. formally introduced the Buy-Here, Pay-Here Collateral Recovery Certification Program. RISC said this comprehensive certification program has been endorsed by the National Alliance of Buy-Here, Pay-Here Dealers and is designed for BHPH stores that service their own in-house […] [Read More]

KAR Auction Services said Monday that it is seeking amendments to its credit agreement, dated as of May 19 of last year. The company explained that amendments to the credit agreement would provide KAR with greater flexibility, including modifications to increase the amount of restricted payments that are, among other things, dividends, stock buybacks and […] [Read More]