DealerRefresh discusses bait and switch

Posted May 21, 2007

Jeff Kershner is talking about using a dealership website to bait and switch customers by keeping typical or accessible (but not on the lot) inventory online.

Bait and Switch: The Oldest Trick in the Book

3 Comments so far

  1. yhurg on May 21st, 2007

    Are you exploiting this or just pointing it out? That turned out to be quite a post, huh!?

  2. Jeff Kershner on June 11th, 2007

    I think your title here is a little misleading. But that’s OK. I feel privileged that you posted about me in your blog.

    Actually I never confessed to bait and switch. That is not something that I or my dealer would ever practice. However, I have in the past kept certain easy to obtain inventory (inventory sitting at the port) or inventory that I have incoming from the factory posted on the website.

    Bait and Switch is when you tell a customer that you have the exact vehicle they want (knowing that you do not have it) to get them to show up at your dealer, then when they show up, you push a different vehicle on them. I would never and have never practiced this.

    I will say, after the posting and reading a few readers comments, I took into account that maybe I should only post incoming inventory and not the inventory that would be easy to obtain from the port. Maybe one could find that a little misleading so I have decided not to do this. I’m grateful to my readers that pointed this out to me so I too could see this in a different light.

    It’s interesting that you would be so quick post something negative about me. I put myself out there for others to learn from, offer a place for other ISM’s to gather and share feedback.

    You have a nice site here Corey and I truly appreciate your feedback and comments on DealerRefresh. If you ever need any help with your site, let me know. I’d be happy to help.

    Jeff Kershner

  3. CS on June 12th, 2007

    I didn’t think it was negative, but I’ll soften the wording for you. Bait and switch is something that occurs with a lot of advertising, not just cars.

    If it were unacceptable business practice it would be illegal like curbstoning.

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