Welcome to Saturday, Friend!
Ya know, you don’t always need a strategy deck just to make someone feel like they matter. You just have to show up, fully.
People remember when it feels personal. And that’s the kind of thing that keeps them coming back.
Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris, and Kristi
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ICYMI
Hitting the Headlines
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The Daily Pushback Email
On Monday, CarMax confirmed it’s cutting prices and compressing margins to move more used units, aiming to save $150M in overhead. Meanwhile, wholesale prices held firm and inventory aged, with fewer late-model cars creating recon and merchandising pressure. ✂️
Then on Tuesday, EV news showed less of a retreat and more of a reroute. Stellantis is shifting away from plug-in hybrids in North America, while Toyota launched an electric Hilux in Europe. CES 2026 spotlighted AI and autonomy over electrification, and global EV pressure from China is driving faster product cycles and pricing competition. 🇨🇳
On Wednesday, Toyota doubled down on value over price, with its dealer council emphasizing flexibility in product mix over chasing the lowest sticker. Strong sedan and truck sales, especially the Tacoma, are proving that bet out. Meanwhile, financing got easier in December: approvals rose, rates eased slightly, but 72+ month terms and negative equity stayed high. 📈
Thursday, we saw that Q4 EV sales plunged 46% after incentives expired, while full-size pickups hit their best month in five years. New car prices broke records, with ATPs topping $50K. And in Baton Rouge, Super Chevy Dealers gave a cancer-fighting veteran a brand-new Equinox. 💗
By Friday, consumer expectations spiked 32%, loyalty reset across nearly 40% of categories, and 29% of trade-ins came in underwater. As prices hold high, buyers are pivoting hard toward proof of value, clarity on equity, and brands that meet them where their wallets are. ⚖️
PODCASTS
2026 Strategy Sessions
Paul and Kyle sit down with Damon Lester for a raw, personal look at burnout, grief, and what it really means to lead in retail auto in 2026.
Damon shares how years of pressure from the industry, family, and personal loss pushed him past his limit—and what he’s doing now to lead with honesty, boundaries, and breath.
This episode is a reminder that leaders are human first.
Catch the full conversation here.
The Dealer Playbook
What does a modern dealership look like when trust comes first?
In this episode, Matt Birkhead of Sir Walter Chevrolet shares how a nearly century-old store is winning by keeping things simple, transparent, and people-focused. From AI to pricing to culture, Matt breaks down what it really takes to build loyalty that lasts.
This is a blueprint for dealers who want to grow without losing the human connection.
Watch the full episode here.
AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE
They Didn’t Buy. Now You’ll Know Why.
You know when a customer walks, but not always why. That’s about to change.
Join us on January 21nd at 2:00pm EST for Back to Brilliant Basics, a new webinar in partnership with Urban Science. Elisabeth Marietti will introduce a powerful enhancement to SalesAlert™️: a defection survey that gathers real feedback from customers who bought elsewhere.
You’ll learn how to use this insight for sales coaching, process fixes, and performance tracking that actually moves the needle.
Register now and start turning lost deals into your next wins.
SOMETHING FUN
Super Bowl Pulse Check
Alright, we brought the poll results to the table, and you all did not disappoint.
🏈 AFC
No runaway favorite here. The top four are basically shoulder to shoulder:
New England: 23%
Buffalo: 21%
Denver: 20%
Jacksonville: 19%
🏈 NFC
Seattle took the early advantage, but the middle of this board is packed:
Seattle: 26%
LA Rams: 18%
Philadelphia: 17%
San Francisco: 13%
Green Bay: 11%
Chicago: 7%
Carolina: 7%
✅ New Poll
We’ve narrowed it down to the teams that are still in the running. Tell us:
Who's Going to Win the Super Bowl?
Quick Hits
The average ticket price for the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship has soared to $4K (and up to 30K on the resale market). 💰
Mercedes‑Benz is building a “city within a city” in Dubai. 🇦🇪
It’s projected that Gen X and millennials will inherit $4.6T in real estate over the next decade. 🏡
