🚗 The Joy Deficit, Holiday Data, and What Dealers Control Right Now

TOGETHER WITH

Happy Christmas week, Friend!

Today, we’re looking at some news that frames the moment customers are living. What the “joy deficit” says about consumer mood, what recent holiday and retail data reveals about how people are spending, and why moments of real intent inside the dealership matter more than ever as the year wraps up.

But before we get there, we want to honor a true OG in this industry.

Cars Commerce announced last week that Alex Vetter will step down as CEO in January, handing the reins to Tobias “Tobi” Hartmann. Alex has been with Cars.com since the beginning, and over the years, has helped push the industry toward transparency, better tools, and a strengthened dealer network.

Our own Paul J Daly spoke with Alex on Friday. From getting “called Satan” for putting invoice pricing online to his belief in dealers as the essential last mile, it’s a refreshing look at where we’ve been and where we’re headed.

Watch the full interview here.

Now, let’s get into today’s consumer signals.

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

_{Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here!
Reading time: 5 min}

TOGETHER WITH MIA

Stop Losing Leads to Missed Calls

Every unanswered call is a missed sale, lost service appointment, and wasted marketing dollar. And customers don’t leave voicemails – they just call your competitors.

That’s why dealers trust Mia, the 24/7 AI super employee who never misses a call. From day one, Mia books appointments, captures leads, and delivers ROI without extra headcount.

Dealers see:

• 1 in 3 service calls booked

• $50K+ in monthly revenue added

• 70+ staff hours saved each month

Don't miss another call – book a demo today.

THE NEWS

The Joy Deficit Customers Are Spending, But They Ain’t Smiling.

What does “joy deficit” actually mean for customer behavior?

On a recent episode of Automotive State of the Union, Paul Daly and Kyle Mountsier put words to something many teams have noticed: consumers are still spending, but they are not enjoying it. The holidays are stacking on top of high prices, constant promotional noise, and a steady stream of anxiety. Customers are tired.

That fatigue shows up in how people shop and how they communicate. More deal hunting. More sensitivity to pricing and surprises. Less patience for friction. Retail analysts are seeing higher-income shoppers carry a disproportionate share of spend, while middle and lower-income households trade down, lean on credit, BNPL, resale, and dupes to make the season work.

The Big Risk

Is slower trust when customers feel squeezed and alert to anything that feels like a game.

The Data Behind the Feeling

What does the retail data tell us about how selective shoppers have become?

The latest retail sales report helps explain why this mood matters.

Overall retail and restaurant sales were flat in October, and motor vehicles and auto parts dealers were a meaningful drag, down 1.6%.

Excluding autos, retail sales actually rose.

For Retail Auto Dealers

Demand has not disappeared, but shoppers are spending more carefully. Every interaction carries more weight. Research shows that when customers are selective, it’s clarity, consistency, and execution matter to shoppers more.

What Dealers Can Control Right Now

How can teams reduce stress and win trust on Monday morning?

The opportunity in a joy deficit moment is to lower the temperature on purpose.

Sales teams can lead with clarity and simplicity, treating hesitation less like resistance and more like fatigue. Service teams can prioritize speed to answer, schedule, and estimate, recognizing that many customers are calling to get something off their plate now and know what they can spend. Marketing and social teams can turn the volume down, favoring usefulness and certainty over pressure and hype.

Saturday we wrote up some data on one practical focus for every department: phone calls.

You know how it is. People like to text and scroll. People rarely call anyone, so a customer who calls a dealership is showing intent. That moment is critical. When it is missed or mishandled, most customers simply move on with a bias confirmed.

The advantage right now belongs to stores that make customers feel calmer, cared for, and confident enough to take the next step.

Customers have too many options to stick around when they feel optional.

DATA & INSIGHT

Deck the Halls, Not the Highway

Holiday lights on your car might look festive on social media, but on the road they’re more likely to earn you a ticket than applause.

Every state has rules about what lights are allowed while driving, and spoiler: your mobile light parade isn’t on the list.

Flashing bulbs? Off limits. Red and blue? Hard no. Even the twinkly white ones can land you in hot water if they distract other drivers.

Then there’s your paint job. Tape, suction cups, and zip ties can leave scratches and scuffs, especially in cold weather. Glass bulbs are the worst offenders, so if you’re going full sleigh, at least stick with soft-tipped LEDs.

Still, you don’t have to go full snooze. Parked displays are fair game, and permitted parades are open season.

And if you’ve just gotta bring that holiday cheer on the road, stick to well-secured wreaths, magnets, and Rudolph noses to stay both festive and fine-free.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

Dealer Conferences and Industry Events (2026)

• February 3-6: NADA Show 2026, Las Vegas, NV

• May 12-15: ASOTU CON 2026, Hanover, MD

Quick Hits

• 🤖 Tech: Mitsubishi is developing a new drunk driver detection system.

• 🛒 Retail: Rivian is rolling out an adorable handcrafted wooden EV play-set.

• 🇺🇸 Policy: Under a nationwide settlement, Hyundai and Kia must offer free repairs to vehicles that weren’t equipped with proper anti-theft technology.

Thanks for reading, Friend!