If you’re an auto dealer, you probably already know the benefits of Vehicle Inventory Management. These systems are essential to success, from better per-vehicle margins to improved security to reduced discounting. But did you know there are other benefits, too? Read on to maximize your profit and increase your bottom line with an effective inventory management system. Listed below are just a few of them.
Vehicle inventory improves per-vehicle margins.
Today’s internal combustion engines have reached their peak, compounding the downward trend in dealership profit margins. According to NADA, dealerships are making less money per vehicle sold than in the past. The gross profit margin of new and used cars, on average, was just 5.9 percent in 2017. While per-vehicle profit margins are down, dealerships can improve them through effective vehicle inventory management.
According to a recent study of 40,000 dealership websites, a regular price update can increase a dealership’s turn rate by 33%. In addition, updating prices regularly in-vehicle marketplaces improve the visibility of a vehicle, and buyers will quickly bounce from sites that offer complex pricing. However, achieving an improved inventory turn rate and profit margins is like running a marathon: it takes time. So, you need to go through company websites like https://www.vinsolutions.com/dealership-software/inventory-management/.
Vehicle inventory improves security.
Vehicle inventory management systems provide real-time tracking and visibility of inventory. In addition, they enable auto dealers to create geofenced lots, which alert security personnel when vehicles leave their perimeter. A system can also help dealers improve their security by identifying potential risks, such as unauthorized entry and theft of cars. Moreover, a system can streamline the processes of car dealerships across multiple locations, freeing up time for other activities such as closing sales.
Implementing inventory management systems is a critical component of the collision center’s safety. Regardless of size, it is essential to keep assets locked up, both physically and mentally. Collision centers’ inventory is made of various products, from vehicles to parts, and some are recoverable, but all of them are expensive. Thus, security is physical and psychological, and getting it wrong can have disastrous consequences for the business.
Vehicle inventory reduces the time to sell
To maximize profit, used car dealers should consider reducing their time to sell (T2L) by streamlining the vehicle path. In addition to reducing holding costs, this method increases inventory turn. While T2L is challenging to measure, improving it can be relatively inexpensive. If your used car inventory turns are lagging, you might consider purchasing software that automates the process.
One of the best ways to increase the number of vehicles sold is to learn about each vehicle’s market and determine the best time to sell it. While you might have a gut instinct, keeping hundreds of cars for sale would be ineffective if no one wants them. So instead, review the sales history of each vehicle and pay particular attention to the last month’s activity. Then, focus on cars that are likely to sell and offload quickly.
Vehicle inventory reduces discounting.
If you are an inventor of vehicles, you have probably heard that discounting decreases the cost of the car, thereby reducing the inventory costs. But the reality is that not all inventory is equal. Discounting can be an excellent way to ensure that your inventory is more than enough for the number of vehicles you sell. Discounting does have its disadvantages, however. It increases the holding and total inventory-related costs, but its impact is much less than the one caused by capacity discount.
The optimal discount acceptance parameter depends on the percentage and the quantity—the lower the rate and the higher the discount quantity ratio, the less the optimal discounting parameter. When inventory costs are high, managers should not consider discounts to reduce the cost of inventory. However, reducing the price per unit may be worthwhile if discounting increases capacity costs over time. However, the opposite is also true. Ignoring the cost of inventory is not suitable for supply chains, as it reduces the smooth operation of the supply chain.