Get Ahead Of The Summer Slump With Accessory Sales | Insignia Group

As we quickly approach the summer months, dealerships can plan to combat the slump with a preemptive boost to their bottom line.

A significant portion of prospective buyers will soon turn their attention toward vacations, entertainment, camps, and school supplies, putting car buying on the back burner.

Don’t wait until the phone stops ringing to address the decline. Now is the time to launch your accessory program, add PVR, and pad your salespeople’s pockets—generating high CSI scores, referrals, and repeat business.

There are extra dollars at your fingertips with every car sale, and we encourage you to soak up summer at every opportunity!

Why Accessory Sales and Summer Go Hand-in-Hand

Vehicle Personalization is a multi-billion-dollar industry largely unaffected by outside factors. Pandemic? That gave us a spike in dash cams, all-weather mats, and phone holders. Chip shortage? Oh well, just give us more tires, wheel accessories, and protection items for what’s available. Accessories consistently hold steady in the midst of mayhem, and summer is no contest.

The reality is that if a customer is going to buy a car today, they’re going to personalize it, whether on a micro scale or in a grandiose way.

The only question is, will those accessory dollars go to your store, or somewhere else? Summer is marked by fun and leisure, so make the most of it!

Transition into the accessory conversation with a strategic lead-in product like floor mats for those sandy feet, window tint to beat the heat, or a widely popular accessory for your brand.

Also consider presenting custom bundles of accessories, adding in bigger ticket items like bike racks or cooled leather seats, with easy “yes” essentials like sun shades and cargo organizers.

How to Get Started Today

Accessory sales require some intentionality to gain momentum. The good news is, you can follow a proven roadmap to get started on your next sale. Here are some best practices for success:

1. Present accessories early and often. Whether your customer is shopping online, in-store, or a combination of both, accessories should be part of the conversation. Skipping this important step makes accessories an afterthought, significantly decreasing your chances of selling all you could have.
2. Start with a lead-in product. Rather than overwhelming your customer with a full catalog, start with a hot-selling accessory. Consider this word track on your next sale:
   “Most of my customers who buy the (vehicle make and model) add all-weather mats to keep their vehicle in top condition. We can roll those in with financing for a few extra dollars a month. Also, here are some other popular options you might consider to protect your new car.”
3. Introduce your customer to service. Schedule the accessory install and introduce your customer to the service lane. Make sure to be available to greet them when they return and see if there are any other accessories they’ve found that would be good to have now that they’ve been driving the vehicle.

Grab hold of seasonal accessories and brighten your customers’ day with the prospect of sun and fun. The possibilities are endless!

Insignia Group Can Help

Avoid common hiccups like lost We-Owes,  breakdowns in cross-departmental communication, or pricing errors with IG Suite—the nation’s leading accessory sales software. Our in-store tool supports dealers in accessorizing both new and used vehicles, generating over $1 million a year for some dealerships.

For more than 20 years, Insignia Group has been the leading provider of digital accessory-selling systems in dealerships nationwide. Our sleek interface allows dealerships to create profitable accessory programs at the point of sale. Dealers using the Insignia Group accessories selling system can bundle accessories into custom packages, feature hot-selling accessories, process orders, and more! In addition, our integration with major digital retailers covers all your bases and allows for a seamless transition when customers decide to come into the store.

Schedule a demo with us today to see how our system can help you sell more accessories at the point of sale.