Visual Merchandising in the Auto Industry Comes of Age - OnSight Solutions Expands Nationally

Recent study of new-car buyers firmly establishes the dealership environment as key to influencing the sale - OnSight Solutions responds with launch of national direct division

ALBANY, N.Y., June 16 -- Research confirms that, in parallel with other retail industries, automotive customers are largely won at the point of sale - the dealership. A Foresight Research, Inc. study of marketing return on investment summarized in the April issue of Ward's Dealer Business concludes that the dealership environment is key in building brand equity and turning shoppers into customers.

Eight years ago, John Wingle, Founder/CEO of OnSight Solutions International, saw this coming. He contends that sophisticated visual merchandising techniques, which are used extensively by retail giants in every other industry, have been grossly underutilized in the auto industry. "Generic promotional products, fluorescent-painted windshields, and attention-grabbing blow-up characters are not strategic visual merchandising," Wingle stresses. He describes these techniques, as well as the use of mailbox number pricing kits and die-cut neon numbers on the sides of cars, as "a haphazard attempt to employ visual elements at the point-of-purchase which actually defeats the purpose, resulting in a circus-like visual identity."

Consumer perceptions of trustworthiness and professionalism are well-known influences on purchase decisions, and ongoing research indicates that these can be inspired by transforming the dealership environment through strategic visual merchandising. With the economy plummeting and dealers seeking cost-effective solutions to meet the challenges head-on, "transformation of a dealership's visual identity is not just an affordable and effective strategy, it is crucial," Wingle states emphatically. He sees the Foresight study as a major breakthrough - validating his recognition of a real shortfall in the use of powerful visual merchandising practices in the automotive sales industry. Further, he asserts that effective visual merchandising not only drives traffic into a dealership and turns more opportunities into sales, but also increases profit dollars when a sale is made.

OnSight Solutions delivers professional visual merchandising expertise, products, and services informed by proven practices in other industries. The company, which currently partners with 1000+ dealership clients in select metro market areas using an individual service model, is launching a national direct division for the first time. "After 8 years of hard work, we have refined our methodology to the point that we are able to offer the same seamless delivery of quality, service, and value nationwide," says Wingle. For more information about OnSight Solutions, please visit http://www.eonsight.com/ or call (888) 678-1548.