GM revises online strategy to drive more web shoppers into showrooms
General Motors is overhauling a portion of its Internet merchandising strategy for dealers and redesigning a key web site, both with the intent of driving more web shoppers into the showroom, Leo Drew, general director of strategy, integration and operations for GM Customer Networks, tells Internet Retailer.
GM – the first of the Big Three automotive manufacturers to launch a dealer-oriented web selling strategy – is adding enhanced features and functionality to BuyPower, a vehicle research and dealer location site, and launching an interactive advertising campaign to make consumers aware of the redesign.
New site features include simplified navigation and applications that allow shoppers to customize the features and options they want in a new GM vehicle. They also let shoppers search for a used car or peruse online inventory at specific dealerships by ZIP code.
"Our research told us that dealers want more sales leads from the Internet and consumers want to eliminate information overload when they shop online," Drew says. "The new BuyPower site was built to accomplish both objectives."
Drew says dealers are making BuyPower a key component of their individual online marketing plans for a simple reason: the web site generates serious sales leads. BuyPower averages more than 1.5 million visits and more than 3.5 million dealer inventory searches per month.
Such traffic, GM says, generates more than 1 million annual Internet sales leads for dealers and helped the auto maker sell more than 200,000 vehicles in 2002.
"The new site is a complete revision and incorporates many dealer suggestions," Drew says.
GM unveiled the new BuyPower web site in August and is just now launching a month-long advertising and sweepstakes promotion to increase consumer awareness and drive traffic.
The online campaign, dubbed "Prepared" and running on several major automotive web sites, features a series of banner ads that show how GM BuyPower helps consumers become better prepared to shop for and purchase a vehicle.
The corresponding sweepstakes, now running on NetZero.com’s consumer automotive portal, gives shoppers a chance to enter and win a new GM car or truck based on dealer inventory and other restrictions.
Although GM is still measuring the effect its redesigned BuyPower site and new interactive retailing strategy is having on generating sales leads for dealers, Drew says many general managers tell him they are pleased with the effort.
"Everything is reorganized so that information is easier for people to find and use," he says. "It’s easier to communicate with the BuyPower manager at the dealership."
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