Every market has predatorial dealers that routinely & intentionally advertise a too good to be true price on their website to get you in, and when you visit in person, you discover the vehicle has a “Supplemental Window Sticker” itemizing thousands upon thousands of undisclosed dollars of dealer installed options on the vehicle, or some other scheme.

When the consumer asks the salesperson about the price they were quoted for the vehicle, the salesperson explains to them these options have been added to the car, and implies the consumer must pay them in addition to the price they saw on the web or other advertisement. These “extra” options are items like:

• Security Systems

• Safety Systems

• Paint Sealants

• Protective products

• Nitrogen Filled Tires

So where does that leave the dealership that wants to do it the right way ?

Quite frankly, not in a very good position!

The lifeblood of our business is customers in the showroom. With a new car, we all sell the exact same products, and as discussed previously, the majority of the consumer shopping process is done on the web before setting foot in a dealership.

So why does a customer choose to visit a particular dealership?

– They are ready to buy, and a dealership has the vehicle they want to buy at the price they want to pay

Unfortunately, no matter how good a price an ethical dealer advertises, the predatorial dealer will claim to be substantially less. The difference is that the ethical dealer will actually sell their vehicle for their advertised price, and the predatorial dealer has no intention of selling for their advertised price.

– The dealership is conveniently located for them

Not every customer is 100% entirely comfortable shopping for a vehicle on their computer. Some still want to touch the car and see it in person. Often customers in the very early stages of the buying cycle will visit their local showroom in a hybrid approach of web research and in person research. Most of these customers still end up “price” shopping on the web when it comes time to ultimately choose where to buy a vehicle.

– The customer has an established relationship with a dealership

Oftentimes, these are customers that have experienced a predatorial dealer, rejected them, and then found a fair and honest dealership to do business with. They have rejected the “too good to be true” offers, and have instead established a healthy business relationship with a dealership built on trust and mutual respect.