Dealerships raised the bar for customer satisfaction last month

Automotive retailers scored some impressive wins in Nov. when it came to delivering on the customer experience, according to CDK’s latest Ease of Purchase report. 

First things first: The winning month is further proof that retail sales teams are typically better equipped to score big with car buyers when inventories are greater.

• CDK’s Ease of Purchase score hit 91% last month, up from 87% in October – a 4% increase.

• Nov. numbers were nearly on par with the 93% high Ease of Purchase score recorded in Aug.

Digging in: The availability of vehicles played a major role in overall satisfaction.

• 62% of car buyers said they found the car they wanted in stock in Nov., a sharp increase from the 49% the month prior.

• The number of buyers who purchased vehicles in transit dropped to 15%, from a high of 19% in Oct..

• Only 14% of car buyers ordered a vehicle from the factory in November, down from 19% month-over-month.  

A level deeper: More inventory on dealers' lots means less shopping around from consumers.  

• Nearly half of car buyers (45%) only visited one retail store last month when purchasing a vehicle, one of the highest scores since 2022.

• Another 30% of buyers visited two stores – and 25% visited three or more stores in Nov.

More insights: Nov. however, did yield mixed results when it came to the financial side of things.

• 71% of car buyers said it was easy to negotiate pricing last month, up from 67% the month before.

• 56% of buyers found it harder to come to an agreement on the value of a trade-in, down from 60% in Oct. 

• 67% of car buyers said it was easy to apply for credit, which CDK notes is a historic high for the Ease of Purchase study.

Bottom line: As inventories rebound, dealerships are capitalizing on the opportunity to deliver smoother, more satisfying customer experiences. This not only keeps buyers loyal but also sets a higher bar for competitors, especially as holiday sales ramp up.

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