EV Merchandising Tools for Auto Dealerships

EV Merchandising is a new category in Automotive software that really started with the rise of OEMs with Franchise dealerships beginning to make Electric Vehicles and Plug-in Hybrids.

When Automotive websites like Dealer Inspire, Dealer Dot Com, DealerOn, Motive, Space Auto, and others were first introduced, there was only one type of powertrain: Internal Combustion Engine vehicles, with a few hybrids sprinkled in.

Now the Powertrain space in Automotive is complex, ranging from fully BEV (battery electric vehicles) through the spectrum of Hybrids and ICE vehicles.

Naturally, since EVs are fundamentally a different technology, customers ask different questions, which dealerships are left to answer!

The most common questions shoppers ask about EVs are as follows. Hint: EV Merchandising tools are built to answer these questions on a VIN-level basis on each VDP!

Common Questions EV Shoppers Ask:

• How far will this EV go?

• How do I charge this vehicle in public?

• How long will this EV take to charge at home?

• Is this EV eligible for any federal or state tax incentives?

• How much will I save on electricity vs gas by driving electric?

• What type of plug does this EV have? Tesla/NACS? Or CCS/J1772?

Dealership websites were not originally built to answer these questions, which is why startups like Lectrium have taken off as plug-in widgets to dealer sites, enhancing the data quality and customer experience on dealership websites. By utilizing an EV merchandising provider like Lectrium, dealerships keep customers on their websites to conduct research, and do not leave customers to “ask google” about range and the like.

EV qualities like range differ per VIN all the way down to the wheel size, which is why it is important to use a trusted and proved EV merchandising provider like Lectrium who has certified EPA data and native integrations with the largest website providers in the USA.

Not only should your EV merchandising provider integrate with your website, but also your inventory feed provider and your CRM or DMS to push leads for your sales people.

Overall, a strong EV merchandising strategy should look like this:

• Selecting a professional vendor (like Lectrium) to implement a suite of EV Merchandising tools including:

• EV Range Map (shows VIN-specific range)

• EV Savings Badges (shows federal and state incentives and fuel savings)

• EV Charging Tools (shows availability of public chargers and home charging speeds)

• EV CO2 Savings Tools (shows the environmental benefits of driving electric)

• EV Reports to tie this all together & share with customers

• Google Analytics integrations to showcase engagements and conversions, ideally with Automotive Standards Council (ASC) events

• Lead sending capabilities through ADF/XML, HTML, or ELMS

Overall, a major plus of selecting an EV merchandising provider is finding one with OEM certification through Tier 3 programs. Lectrium is the only certified provider and is certified by 4 OEMs to date, including MINI, BMW, and Audi.

Customers at dealerships have been known to ask for the “Lectrium EV Report” to understand the Range, Affordability, and Charging details of a specific electric vehicle.

Dealerships or Auto Groups who implement EV merchandising strategies see benefits including:

• Faster turns of EV inventory

• Better gross per electric unit retailed

• Higher leads per inventory

• Longer time spent of VDPs and higher conversion rates

• Improved cost per lead

Once an EV merchandising strategy is in place, even more can be done to segment EV audiences and run EV advertising campaigns to convert as many quality leads through your websites as possible to give your sales teams a great chance to convert deals and move Electric Metal!