The sheer size of the Baby Boomer generation—roughly 78 million strong—influences every aspect of the products and services they consume. Boomer demand creates industries and markets. The generation born between 1946 and 1964 decide what is important for the rest of the population at virtually every stage of ... Read More »

Market pricing data on new vehicles, which has been available online for many years, goes beyond MSRP and dealer invoice to show consumers what they could expect to pay at the dealership.  This information empowers consumers, but it can also be misleading.  For instance, while the 2010 Audi A6 3.2 has a True ... Read More »

I love September! It really is a great time of year – Football season is here, triathlon season is ending for me (no more 5a.m. alarms!), and the weather is beginning to cool off (or maybe that’s just my new perspective after returning from Phoenix).
September is also a very exciting time here at J.D. Power ... Read More »

There are numerous online sources that provide vehicle reviews and ratings, both expert and user-generated.  In order to test the differences between rating sources, I conducted an analysis based on models in six highly competitive segments. Only those 58 models with ratings across all rating sources were included so ... Read More »

In order to assess the current state of SEO for third-party automotive Web sites, I conducted a field test which I applied a set of automotive search terms to Google and Bing.  I noted which sites appeared in the default first page of results - ten for Google and ten to twenty (depending on the type of search) for ... Read More »

You go to the same dry cleaners week after week. The prices are competitive, the service is good, and it’s convenient. But, are you loyal? Is being satisfied equal to being committed? Do you refer friends? Would you switch if a new store opened in a more convenient location? The answers are most likely no, no, no, and ... Read More »

When the existing online social networking juggernaut implements an advanced search tool for its users, what better place is there for automotive players to comprehensively know the consumer and meet them where they are?
Recently, Facebook announced their newly developed search functionality which serves filterable ... Read More »

The need to build one’s Web site for search engine optimization (SEO) has become a critical component to the marketing of almost any Web site.  This posting provides advice on how dealers can improve their Web sites to make them more likely to show up on search engines.  Even if you can’t implement all ... Read More »

While Michael Vick was in the slammer mending his ego, he was also consulting with future Hall of Fame coach and moral leader Tony Dungy.  Mr. Dungy has been known throughout the league for fostering the good in all his players, focusing on character first and teaching the game second.  So what does this have to ... Read More »

In 1964, David Mayer and Herbert M. Greenberg released a study that began to change selling, or at least who was hired to do it. Their work had taken 7 years and the empirical results were amazing. They concluded that there were two overriding attributes to good sales people. They must have empathy and ego. Empathy, in the ... Read More »