For years, automotive retailers have debated the threat posed by digital disruptors. But according to David Spisak, CEO and President of Disruptive Growth Solutions, the bigger risk for dealers may be refusing to learn from them.
In the first part of a three-part Inside Automotive series, Spisak argues that Carvana’s expansion into new-vehicle sales offers dealers an opportunity to examine what consumers increasingly expect from the buying process. Rather than dismissing the company or blindly admiring its growth, dealers should study the processes behind its success and identify where traditional retail unnecessarily complicates the vehicle-buying process.
Carvana’s rapid recovery following a dramatic stock decline proves that clear, decisive planning can overcome major industry headwinds. By doubling down on transparency, simplicity, and convenience, Spisak said that the company built a brand around consumer confidence. He notes that customers can complete nearly the entire transaction remotely, purchase vehicles without seeing or driving them first, and rely on return policies to mitigate risk. This behavior aligns with broader expectations set by ecommerce giants like Amazon and Wayfair, which have conditioned shoppers to demand frictionless, low-pressure transactions.
Redefining the experience & interactions
A visit to a Carvana location in California reinforced a shift for Spisak. By operating with minimal inventory and a small staffing footprint, the store positioned its employees not as traditional salespeople but as customer advocates. That distinction, he suggests, reflects a fundamentally different philosophy. Instead of focusing primarily on selling, the process is designed around explaining the vehicle, financing and transaction so customers understand what is happening at each stage.
"Nobody likes to be sold, but everybody loves to buy… An advocate helps guide the customer, whereas a salesperson implies you're about to be sold.”
Spisak believes traditional dealers can adopt this advocate mindset without sacrificing profitability. Rather than rushing through transactions, staff should focus on clearly explaining financing options, vehicle features, and line items to ensure customers feel informed, not pressured.
That shift also requires dealers to reconsider what they call digital retailing. Spisak argued that many dealership websites offer digital shopping tools without actually delivering a digital transaction. Customers may select a vehicle, estimate payments and submit information online, only to be required to restart the process at the dealership. He compared that experience to completing an online banking transaction only to be told to bring the same information into a branch. The technology may be digital, but the underlying process remains largely traditional.
Eliminating friction
Carvana’s rise also illustrates how quickly a disruptive model can evolve. Spisak notes the company’s dramatic transformation following a severe decline in its stock value, arguing that its recovery demonstrated the importance of recognizing problems, making difficult decisions and executing a clear plan. The company then continued to invest in its processes and brand, creating a retail experience built on consistency and consumer confidence.
Simultaneously, Spisak cautioned dealers against misreading Carvana’s new-vehicle sales growth. The company’s entry into new vehicles does not necessarily expand the overall market. Instead, it can redistribute existing sales and take share from incumbent dealers. That distinction should make the development more significant to retailers, not less. Dealers are not necessarily losing customers because the market is growing; they may be losing customers because another retailer has found a more appealing way to serve them.
For Spisak, the lesson extends beyond Carvana, as dealers should examine every point where their processes create friction, particularly around pricing, financing, trade valuations and communication. Consumers generally understand that dealerships need to make money, he said, but they become uncomfortable when they do not understand the decisions they are being asked to make.
Trust becomes a vital competitive edge, as Spisak suggests dealers can build it by taking more time during sales, clearly explaining the next steps, positioning staff as advocates, and ensuring customers feel informed rather than pressured.
The opportunity, he suggested, is hiding in the industry’s most persistent problems. Dealers spend significant amounts of money generating leads, yet many ultimately go nowhere. Rather than viewing that as simply a lead-generation problem, Spisak sees an opportunity to examine whether the dealership experience itself is causing customers to disengage.
