TOGETHER WITH:
Dealers aren't waiting for perfect conditions.
Today, we're looking at how retailers are responding to affordability pressures, inventory challenges, shifting customer expectations, and new technology, plus what Carvana's latest retail experiment reveals about where shopping may be headed.
And because it's Friday, we've got a few stories worth passing around the lunch table too, including flood-fighting beavers, a 22-hour nonstop flight, and the phone habit that could be inviting more spam calls into your life.
Keep Pushing Back,
—Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi
Reading time: 4 mins
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📍 On the Ground
We Traveled to Dallas to See What Carvana Is Building
Carvana invited us in for an early look at its new Test Drive Center, and the biggest surprise wasn't the technology. It was how intentionally the experience is built around customer exploration. Customers can browse inventory, compare vehicles, scan QR codes, and discover things on their own before ever needing assistance. Most retail innovation focuses on removing friction. Carvana appears to be chasing something different: making shopping enjoyable. Read more →
🚗 What's Working in Retail
Dealers Are Building Around Today's Market, Not Tomorrow's
Interest rates matter less when customers need a vehicle now. Dealer concern about rates continues to fall even as the Fed shifts toward a possible increase next year. At the same time, stores are sourcing more used inventory from service lanes and trade-ins as affordable vehicles remain scarce. The common thread? Strong operators aren't waiting for conditions to improve. They're adapting to the market that's already here. Read more →
Affordable Used Cars Keep Getting Harder to Find
The old affordability playbook is running out of inventory. Vehicles under $15,000 remain in short supply, pushing more shoppers toward certified pre-owned options that offer warranty coverage and lower ownership risk. CPO is increasingly becoming the bridge between affordability and confidence. Read more →TOGETHER WITH REYNOLDS & REYNOLDS
AI Is Reshaping Dealership Operations
Most AI conversations in automotive have focused on efficiency — writing emails faster, summarizing calls, or automating basic follow-up. But that’s only the beginning.
In this keynote, Reynolds Vice President AJ McGowan explores how leading dealers are using AI to do more than save time. From surfacing opportunities sooner to connecting data across departments and improving day-to-day decision-making, AI is beginning to change how dealerships operate.
If you’re evaluating your current tech stack or considering where to invest next, this session offers a practical look at what’s happening now — and what forward-looking dealers are doing differently.
⚡ Factory Floor
• BMW is betting on Neue Klasse while investors worry about China. The automaker's shares hit a five-year low after a profit warning, even as executives point to strong early demand for upcoming models. Read more →
• Ford's EV future looks a lot more affordable. The company's next-generation EV strategy centers on lower-cost vehicles, including a planned $30,000 electric pickup arriving in 2027. Read more →
• New-vehicle affordability improved in May. Lower prices, stronger incentives, and rising incomes helped offset slightly higher interest rates. Read more →
🍿 Human Nature
Consumers Trust Capri-Sun More Than AI
Consumers are embracing AI while trusting it less. A new study found trust declined for most major AI brands while familiar names like Capri-Sun, Lunchables, and Hot Wheels gained ground. The lesson for dealers is simple: technology may improve the experience, but trust still comes from people doing what they said they would do. Read more →
Ferrari's EV Comes With a Loyalty Test
Ferrari may be asking collectors to buy its new EV before earning access to future halo cars. The internet responded exactly as you'd expect, including one Reddit commenter who described Ferrari's allocation system as "Pokémon cards for rich people." That's probably the shortest explanation of luxury exclusivity ever written. Read more →
Our pals at Force Marketing helped bring the ASOTU crew to the CBT News Auto Leadership Summit this year, where John Fitzpatrick joined us for a conversation that goes way past “marketing tips.”
He digs into what happens when dealers, associations, lawmakers, and industry partners actually get in the same room and talk about the real issues shaping automotive retail.
Catch the full interview to discover how Force Marketing is helping dealers stay sharp, stay compliant, and stay focused on the customer.
🤖 AI Is Leaving the Lab
Midjourney is building a full-body ultrasound scanner that aims for MRI-like imaging through a spa-style experience. Cat pics to body scans, apparently.
Apple says AI demand has more than doubled RAM prices since October, making future hardware price hikes hard to avoid.
NASA picked Relativity Space for a Mars mission, giving a newer rocket company a real shot beyond the SpaceX shadow.
📱 Small Fixes, Big Payoff
Apple’s Vehicle Motion Cues use moving screen dots to match vehicle motion, helping passengers read and work without getting carsick.
Answering unknown calls can verify your number as active, making it more valuable to scammers. Let suspicious calls go to voicemail instead.
Jersey Mike’s passed Chick-fil-A in customer satisfaction by winning on freshness, variety, value, and consistent experience.
🌎 The World Is Still Weird
London brought back beavers to fight flooding, and their dams helped stop a problem area from flooding for the first time in a decade.
Archaeologists found a 5,000-year-old solstice-aligned monument near Stonehenge that may have helped shape the famous site’s later design.
Qantas plans a 22-hour Sydney-to-London nonstop flight, with fewer seats, more fuel, and a stretch zone for economy passengers.
🍿 Things Worth Knowing at Lunch
1846 - The first officially recognized baseball game using the Cartwright Rules was played in Hoboken, New Jersey. The New York Nine defeated the New York Knickerbockers 23-1.
1964 - (Computer Mouse & Engelbart): Inventor Douglas Engelbart officially applied for a patent for the first-ever computer mouse—a simple wooden shell with two metal wheels.
1974 – GM Airbag Introduction: General Motors became an industry pioneer in safety by rolling out the first passenger vehicles fitted with airbags.
Thanks for reading, Friend!
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