Host Paul J Daly sits down with Brian Kramer, EVP at Cars Commerce, to dive deep into the challenges and opportunities in used car acquisition. Brian breaks down the industry’s shifting landscape, where used car prices and inventory are both declining, leaving dealers struggling to secure quality vehicles. He emphasizes that direct-from-consumer acquisition is the key to success, but most dealers aren’t maximizing their opportunities. Instead of simply putting up “We Buy Cars” banners, Brian explains how dealers can use social media, QR codes, website integrations, and targeted marketing to drive trade-in leads—just like independent dealer George Saliba, who generates 3,000 trade-in leads per month through social media alone.

The conversation also touches on the importance of transparency in trade-in valuations, debating whether dealers should provide ranges or firm offers upfront. Brian argues that giving customers a real number creates more opportunities for follow-ups, remarketing, and second-chance deals. He also highlights how the Dealer Club acquisition is revolutionizing inventory exit strategies, allowing dealers to seamlessly move vehicles in and out of their inventory. The episode wraps with a look at the massive opportunities in 2025, as dealers who embrace data, transparency, and digital-first acquisition strategies will dominate the used car market.

0:00 Intro – Live from NADA with Brian Kramer.

1:01 Used car market challenges – Prices and inventory are both dropping.

2:20 Direct-from-consumer acquisition is the future – But most dealers don’t execute well.

3:28 Accu-Trade is more than an appraisal tool – It’s a used car marketing machine.

4:52 Transparency in trade values – Why giving a real number drives more deals.

5:43 The power of remarketing trade-in leads – Second and third opportunities to win deals.

7:41 Social media as a lead generator – How George Saliba drives 3,000 trade-in leads a month.

8:46 Dealer Club’s first live sale – Exiting surplus inventory in minutes.

Learn more about Cars Commerce:https://www.carscommerce.inc/

Brian Kramer is the EVP, Dealer Growth and Success forCars Commerce

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkramer1/

https://www.carscommerce.inc/

Host Kyle Mountsier sits down with Jamie Oldershaw, VP of Customer Experience atCars Commerce, to discuss the evolving role of reputation management in the automotive industry. Jamie emphasizes that trust remains one of the biggest hurdles for car buyers and that transparency, communication, and responsiveness are key to overcoming skepticism. While 85% of customer reviews on DealerRater are positive, many dealerships fail to actively collect feedback, missing valuable opportunities to strengthen their reputation. Jamie highlights the importance of asking every customer for a review, ensuring that positive experiences are shared just as frequently as negative ones.

The conversation also introduces the "Triple A" framework for handling negative reviews: Acknowledge, Apologize, and Act. Jamie explains how responding thoughtfully to criticism not only improves dealership processes but can also convert unhappy customers into loyal ones. Looking ahead, DealerRater and Cars.com are doubling down on personal connections, working to elevate individual salespeople within dealership profiles and ensuring that reputation directly influences customer decisions. The episode closes with a powerful reminder that in auto retail, people—not just inventory—are the industry’s greatest value proposition.

0:00 Intro – Live from the Cars Commerce booth at NADA.

0:38 Trust remains a major issue – Consumers still hesitate when buying cars.

1:26 Communication is key – Dealers must actively engage with customers.

2:41 Ignoring reviews hurts business – Ratings impact customer decision-making.

4:02 The #1 way to get more reviews – Just ask! Most happy customers won’t share unless prompted.

5:21 How to handle negative reviews – The Triple A method: Acknowledge, Apologize, Act.

7:45 What’s next for DealerRater – Bringing salespeople and reputation to the forefront.

8:18 Human connections matter – Customers who connect with a salesperson are twice as likely to buy.

Learn more about Cars Commerce:https://www.carscommerce.inc/

Jamie Oldershaw is VP of Customer Experience atCars Commerce

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-oldershaw-92a241/

https://www.carscommerce.inc/

Host Paul J Daly sits down with Rebecca Jenkins, Senior Business Development Director at Accu-Trade, to discuss how dealers can win in the used car market by rethinking trade-ins and inventory acquisition strategies. Rebecca, drawing from over a decade in retail automotive, explains why cash deals without trade-ins—often seen as the easiest sales—are actually the least profitable for dealerships. With only 26% of used car transactions involving a trade-in, she challenges dealers to rethink their approach, ensuring they get the first opportunity at every possible trade.

The conversation also highlights the synergy between Accu-Trade and Dealer Club, creating a seamless, transparent exit strategy for vehicles. By moving past traditional metrics like look-to-book and embracing appraisal velocity, dealers can quickly and confidently acquire and offload inventory. With used car pricing predicted to decline while supply remains constrained, Rebecca emphasizes that dealers need smarter, data-driven solutions now more than ever. The episode closes with insights into her retail background, her passion for the industry, and her experiences working with auto innovator Brian Kramer.

0:00 Intro – Live from the Cars Commerce booth at NADA.

1:01 Cash deals are the least profitable – The key to higher margins is trade-ins.

1:59 Only 26% of used car deals involve a trade – Dealers are missing out on inventory.

2:47 Are consumers skipping dealers for trade-ins? – Competing with disruptors.

3:41 Accu-Trade + Dealer Club synergy – Creating faster, smarter inventory exit strategies.

4:51 Used car pricing is dropping – But supply is also shrinking.

5:42 Why dealers need better acquisition tools – The market is getting more competitive.

6:21 Rebecca’s background in retail – 10 years in dealerships shaped her approach.

6:25 Working with Brian Kramer – High energy, big ideas, and non-stop innovation.

Learn more about Cars Commerce:https://www.carscommerce.inc/

Rebecca Jenkins is the Sr. Director of Business Development atAccuTrade

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaljenkins/

https://www.carscommerce.inc/accutrade/

Host Kyle Mountsier sits down with Jennifer Vianello, Chief Marketing Officer at Cars Commerce, to discuss the evolving landscape of automotive marketing and the power of first-party audience data. Jennifer shares her unique perspective as a boomerang employee, having worked at Cars.com in its early startup days before returning over a decade later to lead marketing for the newly branded Cars Commerce. She details how consumer behavior in car buying remains unchanged, with shoppers expanding their options before narrowing down their final choice, making marketplaces essential for research and discovery.

The conversation dives into how Cars Commerce’s media network connects real in-market shoppers with dealers, leveraging AI-driven tools like VIN Performance Media to match the right cars with the right buyers. Jennifer emphasizes the importance of branding in performance marketing, explaining that strong brands drive better results across all advertising channels. She also debunks common myths about online car buying, revealing that Gen Z is less likely to purchase a car fully online than experienced buyers like Boomers. With a suite of tailored ad solutions, Cars Commerce is simplifying dealer marketing, ensuring that every campaign aligns with a specific business outcome, from awareness to VDP views to website traffic.

0:00 Intro – Live from the Cars Commerce booth at NADA.

0:49 The Boomerang Journey – Jennifer’s return to Cars Commerce after 12 years.

2:13 Rebranding to Cars Commerce – Aligning with the future of connected retail.

3:12 Consumer behavior hasn’t changed – Buyers expand their search before narrowing down.

4:48 Marketplaces remain critical – Shoppers need research depth before selecting a dealer.

5:15 When VIN-specific marketing works – It depends on the consumer’s buying stage.

7:20 The power of first-party data – Cars Commerce helps dealers target real in-market buyers.

9:46 Four key media solutions – Video, display, VIN-specific ads, and social media for dealers.

Learn more about Cars Commerce:https://www.carscommerce.inc/

Jennifer Vianello is the CMO atCars Commerce

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-vianello/

https://www.carscommerce.inc/

Paul J Daly sits down with Doug Miller, President of Cars Commerce, to discuss the company’s latest innovations and its commitment to making car buying and selling simpler for both dealers and consumers. Doug highlights Cars Commerce’s recent acquisition of Dealer Club, founded by Joe Neiman, whose pedigree in automotive retail and wholesale runs deep. The platform introduces a reputation-based wholesale marketplace, shifting the traditional opaque auction system into a transparent, trust-driven model where buyers and sellers can engage more openly—similar to how Airbnb operates for travel.

The conversation expands into Cars Commerce’s broader strategy, including its media network, Accu-Trade integration, and marketing efficiency solutions. Doug shares insights on how their platform helps dealers navigate high acquisition costs and digital marketing inefficiencies, leveraging first-party consumer data from Cars.com to drive more cost-effective conversions than traditional channels like Google. With transparency and efficiency at its core, Cars Commerce continues to build trust, enhance transaction speed, and provide cutting-edge technology to the automotive industry.

0:00 Intro – Live from NADA with the ASOTU team.

1:01 Dealer Club acquisition – Cars Commerce brings transparency to wholesale auctions.

2:29 Reputation-based trading – Trust is now the driving factor in wholesale.

3:33 Lessons from DealerRater – Consumer reviews reshaped retail; now it's happening in wholesale.

4:44 Transparency speeds up transactions – Digital tools should remove friction, not add it.

5:39 Accu-Trade integration – Standardized vehicle appraisals enhance dealer confidence.

6:08 Marketing inefficiencies – Dealers struggle with high costs and fragmented channels.

7:39 Cars Media Network vs. Google Ads – Cars.com offers 5X more cost-effective conversions.

Learn more about Cars Commerce:https://www.carscommerce.inc/

Doug Miller is the President ofCars Commerce

https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglasmiller/

https://www.carscommerce.inc/

HostsPaul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier sit down withSuzanne Reimer to discuss howLotlinx is leveraging AI and machine learning to provide deeper insights into dealership inventory and consumer demand. Suzanne highlights how theirglass cube booth at NADA is giving dealers a real-time look at how shoppers are engaging with their vehicles at theVIN level, showing them which cars are in high demand and which need more attention. With over12 years of data refinement, Lotlinx’s AI-powered platform helps dealers make smarter marketing and pricing decisions, ensuring that the right vehicles are getting in front of the right buyers at the right time.

The conversation also touches on thecritical divide in AI adoption within the auto industry. Suzanne warns that dealers who ignore AI and data-driven decision-making risk falling behind, just like businesses that hesitated to embrace the internet in its early days. She explains how Lotlinx’smachine-driven approach allows dealers to process billions of data points 24/7—something human teams simply can’t match. Additionally, as aCMO herself, Suzanne shares how Lotlinx applies the same data-driven marketing strategies internally that they offer to dealerships, making the connection betweenB2B marketing and dealership sales strategies clearer than ever.

0:00Intro – Live from NADA with the ASOTU team.

0:42AI-driven inventory insights – Dealers see real-time demand for each vehicle.

2:0412 years of machine learning – Longevity improves AI precision over time.

3:25Dealers who ignore AI risk falling behind – The industry is at a turning point.

4:49The Machine vs. The Human Brain – AI operates 24/7, processing billions of data points.

5:30Marketing and attribution challenges – Dealers and vendors face the same data struggles.

7:20The Glass Cube concept – A unique way to showcase AI-driven insights at NADA.

7:38Too much vendor noise at NADA? – How dealers can cut through the confusion.

Learn more about Lotlinx:https://lotlinx.com/

Suzanne Reimer is the Chief Marketing Officer atLotlinx

https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannereimer/

https://lotlinx.com/

Hosts Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier sit down withCarla Wade, Chief Revenue Officer at Lotlinx, to discuss the evolving role of AI in automotive retail. The conversation kicks off with reflections on how AI and machine learning have transformed industries over the past year, making processes faster, more efficient, and data-driven. Carla shares insights into how Lotlinx integrates AI into sales and marketing strategies, helping dealers cut through the noise and reach the right customers more effectively. She emphasizes that AI is not just a buzzword but a tool that, when used correctly, can significantly improve dealership operations, customer engagement, and overall sales performance.

Carla also introducesLex, Lotlinx’s AI-powered app that delivers real-time market insights to dealers, enabling them to price vehicles competitively and target in-market buyers more precisely. The discussion highlights the challenges of AI adoption in the auto industry, particularly the knowledge gap that prevents some dealers from leveraging its full potential. Carla warns that ignoring AI could leave businesses behind, much like the internet revolution reshaped car sales in the past. She encourages dealers to embrace these advancements, as they provide a competitive edge in an increasingly digital-first marketplace.

0:00Intro – Live from NADA Show with the ASOTU crew.

0:22AI is evolving fast – Its impact on industries is both exciting and intimidating.

2:29AI in dealership sales – Using AI to personalize outreach and improve engagement.

4:39Overcoming AI hesitations – Breaking down complex concepts for easier adoption.

5:57Meet Lex – Lotlinx’s AI app for real-time dealership insights.

7:29Making data actionable – AI helps dealers price, market, and sell cars smarter.

9:44The risk of ignoring AI – Dealers who resist AI may get left behind.

11:30The power of AI-driven insights – AI empowers dealerships with better decision-making tools.

Learn more about Lotlinx:https://lotlinx.com/

Carla Wade is the Chief Revenue Officer atLotlinx

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-wade-ba5511bb/

https://lotlinx.com/

The NADA Show is a beast.

So many dealers and industry partners in one place—learning, innovating…

And, of course, the parties, you can’t forget the parties.

But let’s be real—it’s impossible to see and do it all.

So, we’re bringing the best conversations straight to you.

Join Paul J Daly, Kyle Mountsier and the rest of the ASOTU | More Than Cars crew for ASOTU’s NADA Show Sessions—a podcast live from all the action.