Consumer expectations for buying vehicles online have reached a tipping point, pushing digital retailing from optional to essential. Joining Jim Fitzpatrick on this episode of Driving Solutions is Jeri Reichel, AVP of Strategic Planning at Cox Automotive, who explains why dealers that embrace omnichannel retailing now are better positioned to compete as buyer behavior and technology continue to evolve.
Consumer expectations are higher than ever. Two out of three shoppers want to complete most of the vehicle-buying process online, with a majority expressing interest in handling financing steps digitally to gain clearer insight into payments, options and affordability.
As expectations for digital retailing rise, so do the consequences for falling short. Nearly half of consumers say they would switch brands after a disappointing online experience, a clear indicator that digital retailing is actively shaping brand loyalty.
"Digital retailing isn't an either-or. It's about giving consumers options and meeting them where they are."
Despite these shifts in consumer behavior, digital retailing is not intended to replace the in-store experience. Buyers still value human connection, but they also want the flexibility of an omnichannel process that allows them to seamlessly move between online and in-store touchpoints during the same transaction. To meet these expectations, dealers need a unified and consistent experience across all channels.
While digital retailing has been around for years, the technology has advanced significantly. First-generation digital retailing solutions were often layered on top of existing dealer systems, and the lack of integration created workflow friction for dealership staff. Poor handoffs, along with missing or inaccurate information, frequently led to abandoned online deals and forced customers to repeat steps, increasing frustration instead of saving time.
Today’s digital retailing platforms have matured and can support partial transactions while providing real monthly payments, lender decisions and F&I product options.
Cox Automotive recently introduced Accelerate My Deal Elite, a platform designed to support full transactions. The solutions enable identity verification, insurance validation, digital signatures, payment processing and vehicle delivery scheduling. It is DMS- and CRM-agnostic, allowing it to integrate seamlessly with the dealer’s existing core tools. Dealers also remain in control with the ability to review and negotiate with consumers before contracting.
Accelerate My Deal Elite is built on Cox Automotive’s ecosystem, connecting Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, and Dealer.com. More than 7,000 dealers currently use Accelerate My Deal, with the Elite edition representing the next evolution of the platform.
Artificial intelligence is also playing an increasingly important role in digital retailing. For consumers, AI-powered tools make the online experience more intuitive and conversational. For dealers, these tools drive efficiency through instant credit decisions across multiple lenders, smarter F&I product recommendations, and automated compliance checks.
As more consumers turn to AI-powered search tools, discoverability has become critical. These platforms are often the starting point of the car-buying journey. Cox Automotive is focused on ensuring dealer inventory appears on AI-driven search platforms such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overview, helping dealers show up where consumers are searching.
Compared to companies like Amazon and Carvana, Cox Automotive is uniquely positioned to lead in digital retailing because it controls a full automotive retail ecosystem. This includes consumer traffic through Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book, dealer websites through Dealer.com, and an integrated transaction platform. These systems are natively connected, reducing complexity for dealers and generating insights from billions of shopping sessions.
For dealers who are unsure where to start, Reichel emphasizes that adopting digital retailing does not require doing everything at once. She recommends beginning by analyzing where customers drop off in the buying journey and gradually implementing tools that address those friction points.
Looking ahead, digital retailing will continue to evolve as customer expectations rise over the next 12 to 24 months. Seventy-one percent of consumers say they want an omnichannel experience for their next vehicle purchase, and capabilities that feel advanced today are quickly becoming baseline expectations.
Dealers that prioritize seamless omnichannel experiences and align their processes with how consumers want to shop will be better positioned for long-term success and profitability.
