Modal VP of OEM Relationships Todd Somerville recently sat down with us to share why he predicts online car orders will increase 4X during President’s Day weekend this year. 

COVID-19 Impact

Todd is a veteran of automotive with over 20 years at some of the nations top dealerships and brands. When asked about this year vs. previous ones, he says: "Consumers now more than ever are seeking the convenience and safety of remote, online-buying amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and they will be further motivated during the holiday weekend as dealers offer President's Day specials. With showroom foot traffic stalled due to closures, offering the online deal is more important than ever in 2021."

Being Mobile and Remote Ready in 2021

Given social distancing restrictions, and consumer shifts to mobile, Todd says many dealers now have begun to leverage an "omni-channel tech-stacked strategy to provide consumers a seamless buying experience whether they shop online, in store or both." Modal, as an example, has worked with many brands and dealerships on optimizing this new experience and has seen increase PVR by $700. 

Getting Past the Mid-Winter Slump

The consumer downtime of midwinter can often seem to be void of any real light, with the November and December holiday rush completed and spring still months ahead, winter slumps are apt to hit at any time, so leveraging President's Day incentives to drive revenue have long been a favorite in the automotive sector. With 2021 off to a busy start, Todd says "We can anticipate a big push to move 2019 stock that sat on the lot due to COVID-19 to the front of house with sales and big marketing behind it." 

Looking to find out more about driving revenue this President's Day?