What is the slowest month for car sales? And why is it important to know that?
It’s important for car buyers to know what the slowest month for car sales is for two reasons. First, buyers would know when and how to take advantage of the promos offered during this time. And second, they can shop with ease as only a few shoppers are going around.
On the other hand, it’s also crucial for car dealerships to know when the sales slow down. For one, they can know when to invest time in revamping the look of their dealership. They can also use this knowledge to learn when to take their time regarding work and why sales slowed down. Aside from that, it’s also the best time to think of better marketing and sales strategies fit for the season.
In this post, we will talk about the slowest month for car sales. We also explain why and what you can do as a car dealership to sell better.
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So What Is The Slowest Month For Car Sales?
If you’ve guessed January, then you’re up to something. The truth is it’s pretty easy to guess. When you pick just one month of the year, you can select one during the winter, between January and February. But if you chose February, you’re wrong, despite February being much colder than its previous month. Suppose you think the winter climate has something to do with why January is the slowest month for car dealership sales. You’re partly correct in that case, but we will explain that later.
Below are the top four reasons why January is the slower month for car sales.
January Comes After December
This is the top reason why January is the slowest month for car sales. It’s not about the cold weather, but it all has something to do with the month before that – December. The last month of the year is the busiest, with the holiday season and many people go shopping. Not only that, November is when we Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. After the New Year’s celebration, people will mellow down to recover from all the festivities. In turn, most purchasing activities will also stop.
Car Manufacturers Take A Break, Too
We’ve mentioned that people slow down with their spending during January, but it’s more than just the average human who will take a break from it all. Car manufacturers are known to be aggressive regarding marketing and advertising. So, in January, it’s also time for them to ease off. During the Holidays, many carmakers outdo themselves with unique ads and promotional campaigns. However, car manufacturers know that since people mellow down after the season, they take the time to take a little break. Besides, doing promotional campaigns when no one is interested would waste time and money.
Dealership Staff Is Pre-Occupied
This is one reason that has something to do with the weather. The Winter season falls between December and early March. Naturally, it’s cold during these times, especially in places up north. When it gets too cold, snow falls. This is another burden for car dealerships, as snow can damage vehicles and pose a threat to the staff and customers. Because the team is busy beating the cold and the snow, they won’t be able to better accommodate shoppers. The winter can also bring dreadful weather with snowstorms and blizzards, which causes a lot of car dealerships to close down temporarily until the bad weather subsides.
What Can Make Shoppers Buy Cars In January?
Because car sales are low during the first month of the year, it doesn’t mean that used car dealerships should relax and not do something about it. While only a few people are in the mood to shop for cars during the month mentioned, this is the right time for car dealerships to gain more sales. Here are some tips for car dealers to increase sales during this cold and gloomy month.
Upsell On Luxury Cars And Features That Beat The Cold
Since January is the slowest month for sales, it is much slower for luxury cars to sell. Because of this, it may be more challenging for the most expensive ones to be taken out of your parking lot. To sell out the most expensive ones in your inventory, January is the best time to offer promotional deals to the buyers.
Expand your marketing strategies to luxury cars; you can also push for cars conducive to the winter season. When it’s freezing cold outside, people wish they had a vehicle with warmer seats and tires that let them drive through snow without any problems. If you sell cars with anti-winter features, early January is the best time to put them on the proverbial pedestal and boost marketing.
Car Winter Features To Highlight In Sales
Yes, driving during the winter season is dragging, especially when you live in the northern states. The cold weather will make each drive uncomfortable, and the snow and slippery roads will make your driving more difficult. That is why when you have cars with the winter features listed below, you can upsell during the winter months, especially in January.
Heated Seats
One feature you should highlight is electric heated seats. Many people would think that heated seats are only available in luxury vehicles. However, heated seats are available in more affordable compact cars. The driver can quickly get comfortable with a heated seat – much faster than the vehicle heater, which waits for the engine to warm up. Heated seats make for more relaxed and alert driving, also making it a safety feature.
All-Wheel Drive
If there’s anything that car owners dread the most, driving during a snowy day is at least in the top 5 of the list. Drivers drive with great care during this time to prevent sliding, something that is potentially dangerous. If your dealership lacks many winter features, you can bring all your all-wheel drive cars in the front line. Many AWDs are available, so it’s not difficult to sell them to buyers, for you’re giving them options.
Headlight Washers And Wipers
Another problem drivers face when driving during wintertime is reduced visibility. It’s hard to look for the road when it snows, and the snow creates a slushy mess on your windshield. Snow and ice sludge can and will accumulate on the windscreen, making driving more challenging, especially at night. Furthermore, the snow can cover the headlights, reducing the light that helps lead the way. When you have vehicles that offer such features, remember to mention the headlight washers and wipers. All cars out in the markets already have wipers. At the same time, headlight washers may only come in a handful of vehicles, mostly sports cars.
Heated Side Mirrors And Steering Wheels
We’ve already mentioned that snow and frost affect windshields and headlights. Unfortunately, these winter by-products also affect windows and mirrors. Heated side mirrors and windows thaw hardened snow and frost, which gives you more visibility to your side and rear. Meanwhile, people want to drive with a cold steering wheel. It’s like you’re holding a piece of tubular ice, and you can’t let go because your life depends on it. This is why car makers offer a heated steering wheel feature, so driving will be much more comfortable with a steering wheel that doesn’t freeze your hands off.
Now that you know the slowest month for car sales, you should be able to determine what to do to sell more during that time. As of writing this, January is just two months away. So make sure you have your business ready by that time. You will need a dealership app to help you get your recon process faster. Click the link to get a free demo, or click here to learn more about Carketa.
