Data Finds Dealers Witnessed a Spike in New Vehicle Internet Sales Leads from Own Websites

Washington DC October 20, 2005; According to AIADA-NCM’s iDealer Data, the average international nameplate dealership website generated 78.0 leads in August compared to the year’s low of 14.4 in April. Dealers who have embraced the internet more fully have experienced an even better internet sales rate. “

In August, Open Road Honda had 3212 sales leads through our Business Development Center, which is internet and phone leads,” said Michael Morais, Vice President of Operations at Ryan Automotive, LLC. in Edison, New Jersey. “Of the 606 new Hondas we sold that month, 287 were from our Business Development Center leads.”

Despite skyrocketing gas prices and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina the average international nameplate dealership continued to post strong sales in August, according to AIADA-NCM’s iDealer Data. Although sales were level with July’s strong sales, August’s sales mix unsurprisingly leaned more heavily towards more gasoline conservative models, especially compact cars.

Total sales at the average international nameplate dealership rose 2.0 percent to $4.75 million in August from $4.66 million in July, according to iDealer Data. “The product has been there and we have certainly grown,” said Dennis Franks, dealer principal of Toyota of Santa Barbara in Goleta, CA. Likewise, international nameplate dealers continued to see greater sales volume from internet sales leads, and in August they experienced the largest leads from their own sites so far this year.

idealerdata@aiada.org.