🚗 Consumer Confidence Declines

TOGETHER WITH

Happy Monday, Friend!

We’re just 43 days out from ASOTU CON 2025 in Hanover, MD and cannot wait to be there with you.

Agenda specifics are rolling out, so check back frequently to see what (and who) else you can expect this May 13-16th.

See you then!

Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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THE NEWS

Consumer Confidence Droops, 9-Figure Stores, April 3rd, and Amazon Marketplace (?)

🧠 Consumer Confidence Is in the Gutter—Unless You're Under 35

Folks are feeling a bit stressed.

The Conference Board says March consumer confidence dropped hard—now sitting at its lowest level since the pandemic. And the Expectations Index? Twelve-year low. The folks over 35 are pulling back on home and car buying plans, pessimistic about income, job prospects, and the general direction of things.

But Gen Z? They’re somehow more confident than last month. Still signing loan docs. Still thinking long-term. Still buying the car that matches the phone case.

If your showroom’s looking younger lately, it’s not just spring break traffic—it’s the only group currently betting on the future. Might be time to update your message and your playlist.

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💰 You Might Be Sitting on a $100M Store

Dealership valuations for top-tier franchises are going bananas. An article by Andy Gill says metro Toyota rooftops are going for 10x earnings. Private equity’s circling. Your kids might love the legacy, but you might love a private island more.

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💸 25% Tariffs Start April 3—And No One’s Kidding Anymore

Imported vehicles and soon, parts, are about to get slapped. Expect a short buying surge, a long hangover, and price hikes that’ll make 2021 look like the good ol’ days. Oh—and the President literally said he “couldn’t care less” if cars cost more, so no real indication of a last second change of heart there.

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⚙️ Amazon’s Used-Car Marketplace: Dealer-Friendly, for Now

Amazon is stepping deeper into the used-car space—but don’t panic. It’s not a Carvana clone. Franchise dealers (starting with Hyundai stores) list inventory, customers buy through the Amazon interface, and final delivery happens at your store. You own the car, close the deal, and keep the service relationship. Amazon’s just the flashy digital wrapper.

They’re also building tools for lending, trade-ins, and F&I—but all roads still lead back to the dealer…for now. Just remember: Amazon didn’t build AWS to sell books. Keep one eye open.

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➕ More

Read more on these and EV battery recycling, charging woes, and a Domino’s delivery car that might outpace your service van in our daily digest.

🥊 Quick Hits

• Somebody stole a $6M gold toilet and are in trouble for it. 🚽 

• A new clear ceramic glass is coming to phones, and maybe preventing your next screen crack. 📱 

• A LinkedIn survey says American workers are feeling worse about their financial future these days. 🥹 

TOGETHER WITH ACTIVATOR

Bad Data = Missed Deals

Did you catch the ASOTU Edge Webinar with our friend Bobby Gaudreau from Activator?

They dug into the costly chaos of bad customer data. Real fiends like duplicate records, outdated info, and missed buying signals, and, of course, how to fix it fast.

Bobby and his team work with dealers to make sure data isn’t dead weight. With Activator’s dealer-focused Customer Data Platform, you can unify your records, clean your contact info, and automatically engage both passive and active customers through personalized multichannel marketing.

Check out the full replay above, or dive right in and get to know Activator today!

DATA & INSIGHT

Tariffs or Tax Credits: Can We Pick a Lane Already?

Michael L. Wood is calling out a double standard in how some talk about economic policy. Some folks bash EV tax credits as market manipulation but cheer for tariffs as patriotic job protection.

Same playbook, different jerseys. 🤔

He writes that EV tax credits help U.S. automakers compete globally, especially as China pours billions into its own EV industry (BYD alone got $2.3B in 2022).

Tariffs, meanwhile, often lead to higher consumer prices and mixed results for job growth. Remember the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act? It helped tank the global economy in the ‘30s. Fun times.

Translation: You can’t have it both ways.

Are EV credits helping your customers? Will tariffs mess with your margins? We want to hear how this stuff plays out where it counts: the showroom floor.

Hit reply and let us know.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

ASOTU CON 2025 w/ Mosaic Compliance Services

Mosaic Compliance Services is bringing award-winning compliance insight to ASOTU CON 2025! With a track record of making compliance approachable and insurable, Mosaic helps dealers turn risk into confidence. Expect to walk away with practical strategies to keep your store protected—and your team trained up.

Be sure to catch Jim Ganther’s mini keynote, “How BBQ Can Change the World: Lessons From the Pit for Business and Life,” at ASOTU CON 2025!

Huge thanks to Mosaic for making it happen!

Check them out to see why over 150,000 users trust Mosaic.

🔁 Today in History

• 1889: The Eiffel Tower is officially opened. 🇫🇷 

• 1932: Ford introduces the Flathead V8. ⛽️ 

• 1998: Netscape releases Mozilla source code under an open source license. 🦊