VIN Basics Blog

Volvo made a big announcement in the summer of 2017 that every vehicle they manufacture in 2019 would have an electric motor, marking the end of cars they produce with only an internal combustion engine. Though they did not meet this goal, they are still making a big push towards electric vehicles with their “electrification” movement.

You’re probably familiar with search engine optimization (SEO). Chances are that you’ve hired an automotive marketing agency or website provider to optimize your dealership’s website at one point or another. You may even have a large enough team to develop and execute an SEO strategy in-house.

In comparison to passenger vehicles with currently 40 manufacturers, trailers are made by hundreds of manufacturers in North America and each has numerous configurations. Commercial VIN decoding solutions for trailers are rare because of the effort required to obtain this data as well as the differences in how the VIN is used. However, they do exist!

We live in an age where everything is on demand. Binge watching your favorite TV shows when and where you want, ordering almost any product online and having it delivered on your doorstep within 48 hours, and arranging for transportation to arrive within 5-10 mins from the palm of your hand are all daily occurrences around the country. More and more on-demand business models are created to support this convenient and instantaneous lifestyle our society has become accustomed to.

In an industry based on accurately assessing and rating risk to maximize profitability, it’s essential that insurance carriers are able to correctly identify each vehicle they insure. This can be a challenging task to accomplish without leveraging a comprehensive vehicle data solution, especially as vehicles continue to advance.

The handling of auto insurance claims has continued to improve from a consumer perspective, with relatively simple steps that can be completed predominantly online or through mobile applications. Many insurance providers, such as yourselves, have done an excellent job building out resources to help walk consumers, both policyholders and claimants, through each step for submitting a claim as well as educating the consumer in regard to expectations following a claim submission.

Another article on digital retailing? In prior blog posts, we’ve discussed how the modern consumer shops for a vehicle, which research tools are most valuable, and how dealers can win over these consumers during the online shopping process. It only makes sense now, to cover one of the most talked-about subjects in the auto industry, digital retailing.

This post has been updated since its original publish date in February 2017

Imagine a future where, with the push of a button, your customers could summon a mechanic right to their own driveway or even forecast an impending vehicle failure with a tiny implant into their engines brain. In our rapidly evolving, tech-transformative universe these possibilities are not only on the horizon of the automotive world, they have arrived on the doorstep.

Automakers have made great strides in increasing vehicle safety. Today's car shoppers will find many different advanced safety technologies, such as lane assistance technology, that are designed to reduce accidents and protect drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Since automakers each have their unique branding for these safety features, it’s easy for vehicle shoppers, and even dealers and service providers, to get confused when comparing vehicle models across multiple brands. For example, while some safety features will simply alert drivers when required to adjust, others will actively take measures to mitigate collision with semi-autonomous functionality.

Why are we talking about stock photos when it seems like everyone else in the industry is pushing for real vehicle photos? There's no arguing that real photos offer a better shopping experience for consumers looking at real inventory, even with new vehicles. According to Kelley Blue Book, 90% of consumers prefer to view actual photos over stock photos of the new vehicle(s) they are interested in buying. However, stock photos still serve a purpose in the automotive industry.

There are a number of use cases outside of a dealer's inventory - such as vehicle research tools, marketing material, parts websites, etc - where leveraging stock photos by VIN makes the most sense not only to ensure professional quality images but also to save time. And though real photos are the best option for inventory, stock photos can suppliment a dealer's listings when the real photos are not available yet.