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"Tracking orders and communication between departments is great—it holds people accountable with the new reports that are available."

- Peter Boothe, GM at Wild East Town Honda

When you think of selling accessories at the point of sale, your first thought may be dollars and cents. While profit is a major benefit of selling accessories, there are other aspects of an accessory process that can benefit your dealership at a high level. 

Accessories do more than increase front-end gross, boost CSI scores, reduce turnover, and create repeat business. And they're more than a resource for making customers sticky or benefiting fixed operations.

In today’s dynamic automotive industry, car dealerships are no longer only about selling vehicles; they’re the gateway to an experience and avenue of self-expression. 

Enhancing the car buying experience with accessories isn’t a secret sauce. It’s a proven process, and anybody can do it. Drivers crave a vehicle that integrates with their lifestyle, offering cutting-edge features that go beyond the ordinary. Car dealerships have a golden opportunity to cater to this demand by strategically presenting and selling accessories. The truth is, if dealerships don’t meet the demand, customers will seek out aftermarket accessories somewhere else. 

Used cars are having an influencer moment. In incredibly high demand, boasting lofty price tags they once only dreamt of, used cars are center stage in the automotive industry. Gone, at least temporarily, is the stigma of used vehicles being old clunkers. The used car stereotype has been replaced by an image of a shiny 2017 model, being fought over by prospective buyers. In 2021, used car buyers aren't always strapped for cash, looking for a bottom dollar deal, or someone hardly interested in aesthetics. Used car buyers are everywhere you turn, and the profit potential is limitless. By adding protection accessories to your used car lineup, you'll increase the car's longevity and create a satisfied customer—who will soon forget they were ever after a 2022 model. 

The short answer is yes—in due time.

The need for more commonplace electric vehicles is growing. In some areas of the world, cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions is reaching critical importance. China and India are already visiting the need for electric buses, because air quality stays consistently in a dangerous range. Collectively, we're all concerned about global warming and increasingly so. Today, revamping the way the world drives isn't priority number one, and that’s not to say it isn’t in the back of everyone's mind. 

If COVID-19 hasn’t convinced car dealers of the necessity of a vibrant online retail presence, maybe Cyber Monday 2020 will. Even before the pandemic, Cyber Monday was growing as the virtual twin (literally!) of Black Friday. Cyber Monday emerged as shoppers logged online the Monday after Thanksgiving to check store websites for any missed deals from Black Friday. 

Adobe Analytics, a marketing data software company, is predicting—in spite of or due to the pandemic—that Cyber Monday 2020 (Nov. 30) will garner $12.7 billion in online sales, up from the $9.4 billion in e-commerce in 2019.

It’s probably tempting to think end-of-year sales objectives are out the window at this point. After all, 2020 has thrown us for loops and there’s still a quarter left. Overcoming is our theme, and it’s not over till it’s over!

How can Insignia help you finish strong this late in the game? The answer is still accessories.

The OE brands that Insignia supports showed an average increase in order value of over 18% in 2020 compared to 2019!

No dealership has escaped the evolution of the automotive industry due to COVID-19. Since the onset of the pandemic, businesses around the globe have had to respond accordingly. As the world slowly re-opened in a new way, consumers were quick on the draw to review businesses' safety precautions, interactions, conveniences and more.

Those who rose to the occasion attracted clients. Those who made mistakes, no matter how small, suffered at the hands of the Internet. How you continue in your COVID-19 response will set you apart as the pandemic and coming months unfold.

Every season is alive with possibilities. Yes, even in 2020. Strategizing with the turning of the tides can make the difference for your bottom line. What should you do during the summer of an already dramatic year? The same thing you do every summer, my friend. Focus on what you know, and take one step at a time. So, what do we know?

We know public transportation is declining, making personal vehicles a necessity. We know road trips are beckoning the nation like a Siren's song. We know COVID online shopping has surpassed last year's holiday sales.

We also know Vehicle Personalization is a multi-billion dollar industry. The need for a car mixed with the need for a vacation, topped off with chronic *adds to cart*, should serve you well. This is an aftermarket summer like you've never seen it.

Blazing a trail for a successful accessory program requires strategy. As surely as a new hire needs training, molding an accessory program calls for similar attention.

Is outsourcing really valuable? Can a dealership with a strong management team craft such a strategy on its own? Is there any reason a store couldn’t take best practice tips and implement them themselves? Is the expense of training a good return on investment?

These are valid questions from dealerships nationwide. Particularly now, as we all keep a closer eye on our budgets than ever. Let’s explore the reality of launching a new accessory program in your store.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the first half of 2020, it’s that toilet paper was never the answer.

That in mind, we press on, looking first to survive, then creatively thrive. July, which is about level four of Jumanji, has presented a game advantage in the form of a delayed tax day. After a few difficult months, a final wave of income tax returns makes it possible for consumers to take the bait on a new vehicle. America threw us a bone and we’re going to accessorize it.