SureSale Certified, the Gold Standard for Quality Used Vehicles and Purchase Protection, Expands to Louisville

SureSale enters the Louisville market with certified used vehicle program that offers consumers peace of mind and auto dealerships a turnkey vehicle certification program, including a free CAReport, 150-point inspection, 5-month, 5,000-mile warranty, and a 5-day exchange guarantee

Los Angeles, CA – July 15, 2019 – SureSale Certified, the gold standard for quality used vehicles and purchase protection, announced today that it has added the Louisville, Kentucky market to its national rollout.  Used vehicle shoppers and auto dealerships in the Louisville area now have greater access to affordable quality used vehicles that come with the unprecedented assurance of a trusted Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) brand: SureSale Certified.

SureSale Certified vehicles come with a free CAReport (Comprehensive Auto Report), clean title, 150-point inspection, a 5-month, 5,000-mile comprehensive warranty, a 5-day exchange guarantee, and extended protection plans.  The expansion into Louisville coincides with the launch of SureSale’s innovative marketing campaign, which features “Shirley,” a trusted advisor who helps consumers understand why SureSale means they can “Be Sure” of the quality of their SureSale vehicle.

SureSale Certified vehicles bridge the gulf between automakers’ CPO programs, which are brand specific and have mileage and age limitations, and “As Is’ vehicles which offer no consumer assurances. With SureSale Certified, auto dealerships are able to extend consumer protections, similar to auto manufacturer CPO programs, to a wider range of vehicles – up to 15 years, 150K miles and for more than 20 brands. For used vehicles shoppers, this means greater choice in pricing and brand selection, with the peace of mind they crave in a used vehicle purchase.

“With the price of new vehicles at a record high, consumers are increasingly opting for the affordability of a pre-owned vehicle.  But, until SureSale Certified, used vehicle shoppers had only limited access to the peace of mind available to them with a new vehicle purchase,” said SureSale President and Co-founder Jeffrey Schwartz.  “At SureSale, we believe that used vehicle buyers should know the history of the vehicle they intend to buy, as well as receive a detailed report of the mechanical and safety inspection that has been conducted on the vehicle.”

SureSale Certified vehicles come standard with:

• Clean VIN and Free CAReport (Comprehensive Auto Report)

• 150-point Certified Inspection

• 5-month, 5,000-mile Comprehensive Warranty

• 5-day Exchange Guarantee

• Extended Protection Plans up to 36 months or 36,000 miles

“SureSale has created the gold standard for used vehicles, so Louisville used car shoppers can now trust the quality of a vehicle just by looking at it if it is SureSale Certified,” said SureSale CEO and Co-founder Donny Hall. “But it is not just consumers who love the program, local SureSale Certified auto dealerships are able to sell more vehicles, more efficiently, all while offering their customers purchase protection and transparency.”

SureSale Certified vehicles are currently available at select Louisville area dealerships.

To find a Louisville SureSale Certified vehicle and auto dealership, click here:

https://www.suresale.com/marketplace

To become a SureSale Certified auto dealership:

Contact: 800.818.4575

Email: sales@suresale.com

Visit: https://www.suresale.com/dealers

About SureSale

SureSale was founded by automotive and technology entrepreneurs who have made it their mission to create a sorely needed gold standard for used vehicles. The new category of vehicle they invented, SureSale Certified vehicles, gives used vehicle buyers trust in what they are buying and car dealerships a turnkey program to certify more of their used vehicle inventory.  With SureSale, consumers now have access to a greater range of quality used vehicles that they can ‘Be Sure’ about, while auto dealerships have a better way to leverage the growing used vehicle sales opportunity.   Each SureSale Certified vehicle goes through a 150-point inspection and a rigorous background check, and comes with a clean title, detailed CAReport, a 5-month, 5,000-mile comprehensive warranty, a 5-day, 500-mile exchange guarantee, and extended protection plans up to 36 months.  Visit www.suresale.com for more information.

SureSale Media Contact:

Angela Jacobson, mWEBB Communications, angela@mwebbcom.com, (714) 454-8776

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, melanie@mwebbcom.com, (949) 307-1723

Get In Early and Now… the Market Won’t Wait for You!

November was the strongest November for CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) sales – ever! This continues a string of records in the CPO market, including the best October ever last month, according to Autodata.¹ And what we are seeing at SureSale reflects this surge, with the new category of certified vehicles that SureSale covers (the millions of vehicles that fall outside the OEM CPO programs: with mileage up to 150K miles and up to 15 years of age) becoming increasingly popular with car buyers. In fact, dealers who are certifying longer life vehicles are reporting turn rates that are over 60% faster than that of the average used vehicle and an additional 23% or $2,300 per-vehicle gross on average! ²

We believe that this is all truly great news for dealers. But, because this category is relatively new, some dealers are reluctant to jump in, worrying that the quality assurance and warranties (not to mention the inventory sourcing), will create multiple, insurmountable headaches. And, at first look, the task of certifying and sourcing a diverse variety of vehicles - not to mention marketing them to target certified vehicle shoppers - looks to be a daunting task for a dealership of any size.

It doesn’t have to be. 

New Turnkey Certified Platforms

We developed our SureSale program to be as turnkey as a certification program can possibly be. And I am pleased to report that we have just taken the ease of the program several steps further with the launch of new mobile and online platforms, including the SureSale Marketplace, the first and only to specifically target shoppers who are looking for the assurance of (and who are willing to pay a premium for) a certified used vehicle.

In addition to the marketplace, which offers dealers instant access to an expanded online audience of certified vehicle shoppers, our new technology platforms enable dealers to easily purchase quality used inventory from private sellers; certify vehicles ‘on the go’ with a mobile app, and add a free dealer-branded SureSale Certified microsite to their marketing mix. And, to top it off, the platform provides dealers with increased autonomy with ‘on demand’ certification, meaning dealers can market inventory as SureSale ‘Eligible,’ certifying only when they receive a consumer’s request. 

Test the Waters

The market for longer life, higher mileage certified used vehicles is only going to grow and if your dealership is not yet participating, you are missing a major revenue opportunity. We understand that this is new territory, so for those dealerships that want to just test the certified waters, we are offering fast, easy and FREE express publishing of eligible-to-be-certified inventory on our new SureSale Marketplace. All it takes is a few minutes – simply register at www.suresale.com to activate your free account and SureSale does the rest - your eligible used inventory will be automatically published and listed as eligible-to-be-certified. If a consumer expresses interest in one of your vehicles, and asks for certification, it is up to you if you want to move forward. You are in control!

What Are You Waiting For?

Participating dealers are already receiving multiple leads and selling vehicles through the marketplace. It is a great way to get started and it doesn’t cost a cent – once you are in, and moving vehicles, we are convinced you will see the benefits of our comprehensive certification program. So get into this booming new market for longer life, high mileage certified used vehicles -- early, easily and now!

To stay current on the CPO industry and all things SureSale, go to www.jeffreyschwartz.com or follow us on Twitter or Facebook.

[1] http://www.autoremarketing.com/trends/autodata-gauges-historic-full-year-cpo-level

[2] Based on analysis of SureSale vehicles' sale price + addl. VSC revenue averages (all SureSale vehicles 5 yrs and older sold March-May 2012) compared to averages on similar vehicles (Y/M/M) from KBB suggested values (average of wholesale + 'as-is' + retail pricing). 

Get In Early and Now… the Market Won’t Wait for You!

November was the strongest November for CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) sales – ever! This continues a string of records in the CPO market, including the best October ever last month, according to Autodata.¹ And what we are seeing at SureSale reflects this surge, with the new category of certified vehicles that SureSale covers (the millions of vehicles that fall outside the OEM CPO programs: with mileage up to 150K miles and up to 15 years of age) becoming increasingly popular with car buyers. In fact, dealers who are certifying longer life vehicles are reporting turn rates that are over 60% faster than that of the average used vehicle and an additional 23% or $2,300 per-vehicle gross on average! ²

We believe that this is all truly great news for dealers. But, because this category is relatively new, some dealers are reluctant to jump in, worrying that the quality assurance and warranties (not to mention the inventory sourcing), will create multiple, insurmountable headaches. And, at first look, the task of certifying and sourcing a diverse variety of vehicles - not to mention marketing them to target certified vehicle shoppers - looks to be a daunting task for a dealership of any size.

It doesn’t have to be. 

New Turnkey Certified Platforms

We developed our SureSale program to be as turnkey as a certification program can possibly be. And I am pleased to report that we have just taken the ease of the program several steps further with the launch of new mobile and online platforms, including the SureSale Marketplace, the first and only to specifically target shoppers who are looking for the assurance of (and who are willing to pay a premium for) a certified used vehicle.

In addition to the marketplace, which offers dealers instant access to an expanded online audience of certified vehicle shoppers, our new technology platforms enable dealers to easily purchase quality used inventory from private sellers; certify vehicles ‘on the go’ with a mobile app, and add a free dealer-branded SureSale Certified microsite to their marketing mix. And, to top it off, the platform provides dealers with increased autonomy with ‘on demand’ certification, meaning dealers can market inventory as SureSale ‘Eligible,’ certifying only when they receive a consumer’s request. 

Test the Waters

The market for longer life, higher mileage certified used vehicles is only going to grow and if your dealership is not yet participating, you are missing a major revenue opportunity. We understand that this is new territory, so for those dealerships that want to just test the certified waters, we are offering fast, easy and FREE express publishing of eligible-to-be-certified inventory on our new SureSale Marketplace. All it takes is a few minutes – simply register at www.suresale.com to activate your free account and SureSale does the rest - your eligible used inventory will be automatically published and listed as eligible-to-be-certified. If a consumer expresses interest in one of your vehicles, and asks for certification, it is up to you if you want to move forward. You are in control!

What Are You Waiting For?

Participating dealers are already receiving multiple leads and selling vehicles through the marketplace. It is a great way to get started and it doesn’t cost a cent – once you are in, and moving vehicles, we are convinced you will see the benefits of our comprehensive certification program. So get into this booming new market for longer life, high mileage certified used vehicles -- early, easily and now!

To stay current on the CPO industry and all things SureSale, go to www.jeffreyschwartz.com or follow us on Twitter or Facebook.

[1] http://www.autoremarketing.com/trends/autodata-gauges-historic-full-year-cpo-level

[2] Based on analysis of SureSale vehicles' sale price + addl. VSC revenue averages (all SureSale vehicles 5 yrs and older sold March-May 2012) compared to averages on similar vehicles (Y/M/M) from KBB suggested values (average of wholesale + 'as-is' + retail pricing). 

Natural disasters are often referred to as catastrophic for a reason - the sheer nature of their damage is not limited to a ripple effect but a flat out splash - covering individuals, infrastructure, businesses, and more. Hurricane Sandy has passed, but many northeast residents are still without basic supplies, while others may have lost their homes, businesses, cars, and more.

It is estimated that the damage from the superstorm will total between $30 and $50 Billion, with New York bearing 34% of the loss, New Jersey 30%, Pennsylvania 20%, and all other states     16 %*. As the numbers continue to stagger in, we wonder, what is the automotive industry’s place in this recovery?

An estimated 250,000 cars were flooded by the super storm** - leaving many individuals stranded without transportation. In an already tight used car market, damaged vehicles present not only a cost and supply issue, but a health and safety hazard to consumers who may unsuspectingly purchase a replacement vehicle that experienced extensive flood damage.

Here at SureSale, our business model is built around both dealer and consumer confidence and transparency – making it only fitting that we take action.  So, we immediately deployed certification experts to complete on-the-ground inspections to assess the damage and certification status of SureSale Certified vehicles on lots affected by flooding. Following comprehensive inspections, vehicles were immediately deemed either undamaged, in need of repair, or unsalvageable and removed from SureSale Certified vehicle status.

We maintain our commitment to quality pre-owned vehicles and our team continues to work with dealerships affected by Sandy. It is our hope that this small but significant action will provide some much needed confidence and security for individuals trying to put the pieces back together.

For more info on our flood inspections, click here

For more info on SureSale, click here

*The New York Times, November 1, 2012 - http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/business/estimate-of-economic-losses-now-up-to-50-billion.html

**LA Times, November 9, 2012 - http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-autos-flooded-cars-20121109,0,244965.story

To stay current on the CPO industry, go to www.jeffreyschwartz.com

Natural disasters are often referred to as catastrophic for a reason - the sheer nature of their damage is not limited to a ripple effect but a flat out splash - covering individuals, infrastructure, businesses, and more. Hurricane Sandy has passed, but many northeast residents are still without basic supplies, while others may have lost their homes, businesses, cars, and more.

It is estimated that the damage from the superstorm will total between $30 and $50 Billion, with New York bearing 34% of the loss, New Jersey 30%, Pennsylvania 20%, and all other states     16 %*. As the numbers continue to stagger in, we wonder, what is the automotive industry’s place in this recovery?

An estimated 250,000 cars were flooded by the super storm** - leaving many individuals stranded without transportation. In an already tight used car market, damaged vehicles present not only a cost and supply issue, but a health and safety hazard to consumers who may unsuspectingly purchase a replacement vehicle that experienced extensive flood damage.

Here at SureSale, our business model is built around both dealer and consumer confidence and transparency – making it only fitting that we take action.  So, we immediately deployed certification experts to complete on-the-ground inspections to assess the damage and certification status of SureSale Certified vehicles on lots affected by flooding. Following comprehensive inspections, vehicles were immediately deemed either undamaged, in need of repair, or unsalvageable and removed from SureSale Certified vehicle status.

We maintain our commitment to quality pre-owned vehicles and our team continues to work with dealerships affected by Sandy. It is our hope that this small but significant action will provide some much needed confidence and security for individuals trying to put the pieces back together.

For more info on our flood inspections, click here

For more info on SureSale, click here

*The New York Times, November 1, 2012 - http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/business/estimate-of-economic-losses-now-up-to-50-billion.html

**LA Times, November 9, 2012 - http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-autos-flooded-cars-20121109,0,244965.story

To stay current on the CPO industry, go to www.jeffreyschwartz.com

If there is a bright spot in the economy these days, it’s the auto industry. Pent-up demand, lower interest rates, great product, and easing gas prices are driving consumers online and into showrooms, ramping up sales for dealers across the country. But it is not all sunshine – at least for new car dealers, who are feeling increasing pressure on margins (attributable to some of the same factors that are also driving sales[1]), with consumers paying, on average, $500 less for a new vehicle than they did a year ago.[2]

Advantage used? We think so.

As any dealer will tell you, margins are traditionally higher on used vehicles (more than ten times higher according to NADA data[3]), and while constricted inventories in a hot used car market dampened that opportunity of late, this year's robust increases in new sales are bringing growth in trade-ins (56% of new car buyers who own a vehicle intend to trade it in!), providing more precious used inventory.  Analysts are predicting strong sales ahead for used dealers, and inside that relatively rosy used car story is another even brighter ‘margin’ story ready to break out, the CPO story.

Consider: June 2012, was the 2nd-best month in the history of the certified pre-owned vehicle market. Yep! The second best month in history! Certified pre-owned sales are up 9.5% in 2012 following a steady three-year growth trend.  This is fantastic news for the used car industry … and a huge opportunity for dealers…especially as new certification programs mean they’re no longer limited to only OEM programs when it comes to offering the type of comprehensive certification that consumers will actually embrace.  Industry data confirms that OEM-certified vehicles move faster and that consumers will pay a premium for them, and while this is good news and means better margins, only a fraction of a dealer’s used vehicles will qualify. That’s where high-quality, non-OEM certification programs, that extend the scope of eligible vehicles, step in. For instance, our SureSale program, which allows dealers to certify vehicles up to 15 years old and 150K miles. 

But do the same margin advantages apply with these new CPO programs? Today we can give a resounding “yes” to that – according to the aggregated data from our SureSale Certified program.

Our data shows that, surprisingly, not only are non-OEM certified vehicles selling faster than the OEM-certified variety, they are dramatically increasing those all-important margins.  This is not just happy news for independent dealers, who have been without access to a truly effective CPO marketing program, but for franchised dealers who are feeling the crunch of compressed margins, even as new vehicles are flying off their lot. Because far more of those trade-ins they’re taking from over 50% of their customers are now eligible to wear that consumer-friendly, profit-driving certified badge of honor, participating dealers can go a long way to making up those lost new car margins. Consider the eye-opening results dealers are reporting after just six months of participation in the SureSale certification program: these certified vehicles are moving at a rate that is over 60% faster[4] than that of the average used vehicle (and 10 days faster than the average OEM-certified vehicle) – and they are pocketing an additional 23% (or $2,300) per-vehicle sales premium on average.[5]  Plus, because the program smartly integrates extended protection plans, dealerships are generating an average of $1,500 in additional revenue on those one in four customers who are opting for that program. 

There are about 35 million used vehicles on the market and yet less than 2 million were sold through OEM CPO programs last year. With CPO sales happily rocking the profit center of the used car market, we believe that that center can significantly expand, and that far more of those other 30+ million vehicles can be properly and rightly certified. The customers that are shopping ‘used’ want and deserve the peace of mind of more high-quality certified programs and vehicles – and dealers deserve the marketing differentiation, rapid turn, and yes, above all, the increased profit margins they provide.
 

To stay current on the CPO industry, go to www.jeffreyschwartz.com or follow me on Twitter @JeffreySureSale.

If there is a bright spot in the economy these days, it’s the auto industry. Pent-up demand, lower interest rates, great product, and easing gas prices are driving consumers online and into showrooms, ramping up sales for dealers across the country. But it is not all sunshine – at least for new car dealers, who are feeling increasing pressure on margins (attributable to some of the same factors that are also driving sales[1]), with consumers paying, on average, $500 less for a new vehicle than they did a year ago.[2]

Advantage used? We think so.

As any dealer will tell you, margins are traditionally higher on used vehicles (more than ten times higher according to NADA data[3]), and while constricted inventories in a hot used car market dampened that opportunity of late, this year's robust increases in new sales are bringing growth in trade-ins (56% of new car buyers who own a vehicle intend to trade it in!), providing more precious used inventory.  Analysts are predicting strong sales ahead for used dealers, and inside that relatively rosy used car story is another even brighter ‘margin’ story ready to break out, the CPO story.

Consider: June 2012, was the 2nd-best month in the history of the certified pre-owned vehicle market. Yep! The second best month in history! Certified pre-owned sales are up 9.5% in 2012 following a steady three-year growth trend.  This is fantastic news for the used car industry … and a huge opportunity for dealers…especially as new certification programs mean they’re no longer limited to only OEM programs when it comes to offering the type of comprehensive certification that consumers will actually embrace.  Industry data confirms that OEM-certified vehicles move faster and that consumers will pay a premium for them, and while this is good news and means better margins, only a fraction of a dealer’s used vehicles will qualify. That’s where high-quality, non-OEM certification programs, that extend the scope of eligible vehicles, step in. For instance, our SureSale program, which allows dealers to certify vehicles up to 15 years old and 150K miles. 

But do the same margin advantages apply with these new CPO programs? Today we can give a resounding “yes” to that – according to the aggregated data from our SureSale Certified program.

Our data shows that, surprisingly, not only are non-OEM certified vehicles selling faster than the OEM-certified variety, they are dramatically increasing those all-important margins.  This is not just happy news for independent dealers, who have been without access to a truly effective CPO marketing program, but for franchised dealers who are feeling the crunch of compressed margins, even as new vehicles are flying off their lot. Because far more of those trade-ins they’re taking from over 50% of their customers are now eligible to wear that consumer-friendly, profit-driving certified badge of honor, participating dealers can go a long way to making up those lost new car margins. Consider the eye-opening results dealers are reporting after just six months of participation in the SureSale certification program: these certified vehicles are moving at a rate that is over 60% faster[4] than that of the average used vehicle (and 10 days faster than the average OEM-certified vehicle) – and they are pocketing an additional 23% (or $2,300) per-vehicle sales premium on average.[5]  Plus, because the program smartly integrates extended protection plans, dealerships are generating an average of $1,500 in additional revenue on those one in four customers who are opting for that program. 

There are about 35 million used vehicles on the market and yet less than 2 million were sold through OEM CPO programs last year. With CPO sales happily rocking the profit center of the used car market, we believe that that center can significantly expand, and that far more of those other 30+ million vehicles can be properly and rightly certified. The customers that are shopping ‘used’ want and deserve the peace of mind of more high-quality certified programs and vehicles – and dealers deserve the marketing differentiation, rapid turn, and yes, above all, the increased profit margins they provide.
 

To stay current on the CPO industry, go to www.jeffreyschwartz.com or follow me on Twitter @JeffreySureSale.

Like ‘natural’ food labels, has the overuse of ‘certified’ lost its power in the used car market?

Once upon a time, a label of ‘natural’ on food products… or anything else, conjured up images of health and purity and assurances that the product was pesticide and chemical-free – but today, with all things natural in vogue and not a standard or regulation in place, the label has suffered from over-exposure and it has become a far less meaningful brand tool for the food marketing industry. Indeed, not so long ago, the same held true for the organic label, until the USDA stepped in with its seal and relatively strict standards for use of the term ‘organic’.  Should certified be getting the same treatment? 

Perhaps. Because today, the same fate is rapidly befalling another over-used term completely lacking in any standardization –the certification label. Everything from security systems to cars can fall under that rubric with absolutely no guarantee of anything… and, taken a step further in the auto industry, the acronym CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) is in danger of the same semantic ignominy.

When CPO programs first came into being, they were extremely limited and only offered by manufacturers – in fact, back then, the term CPO could only be used by manufacturers (and that is still true in some states today); but gradually others, including many in the online space, picked up the idea of ‘certifying’ used vehicles – and today, more and more automotive programs and individual dealerships are trumpeting the term ‘certified,’ with no real accountability. Random and excessive use of the term risks car-buyer cynicism.

But, just as with ‘natural’, there is a good news/bad news component to ‘certified’.  People like and want the concept of natural foods even if they don’t necessarily believe it on the label, likewise with ‘certified’.  It immediately conjures up something that car-buyers want – and data confirms that consumers are more likely to purchase a vehicle if it is certified.

But where will those numbers go if there is no real standardization? If easily thrown together dealership programs - which are little more than shrink-wrapped warranty programs lacking third-party inspection, buy-back guarantees, or other benefits typical of the best OEM programs – flood the market under the CPO banner, then the best programs will lose their power.  In fact, the definitions of certification are so broad that it could mean nothing more than an inspection or a full tank of gas or a certified mechanic with some sort of competency test.

At SureSale we too use the term ‘certified’…because consumers continue to embrace the term and it still retains a halo that is reflective of the solid elements of our program; but we see an impending dilution to the term, which is why we have focused on ensuring program elements that are robust for both dealer and consumer -- and why we are seeking to redefine not only the word certification, but the category as well. If dealers are going to be able to meet the significant opportunities on the horizon as new and used vehicle sales (and trade-ins) ramp up in an extremely competitive sales market that is peopled with ever-more demanding consumers, they must be able to offer substance behind the certified rhetoric.  And that means not just a good warranty program, but multiple elements that reassure the consumer (such as third party inspections, buyback guarantees, service contracts, vehicle history reports, pricing information and so on) -  elements that adhere to a strict consistent standard that is the same whether the consumer purchases in New Jersey or Arizona.

While we may never be able to move CPO beyond ‘natural’ into a USDA seal of approval, at SureSale, we are doing our best to shift practices across the industry, which, in the end, will provide not only greater consumer likelihood to purchase, but greater profits for dealerships.

Follow me on Twitter @jeffreysuresale

http://jeffreyschwartz.com/

Like ‘natural’ food labels, has the overuse of ‘certified’ lost its power in the used car market?

Once upon a time, a label of ‘natural’ on food products… or anything else, conjured up images of health and purity and assurances that the product was pesticide and chemical-free – but today, with all things natural in vogue and not a standard or regulation in place, the label has suffered from over-exposure and it has become a far less meaningful brand tool for the food marketing industry. Indeed, not so long ago, the same held true for the organic label, until the USDA stepped in with its seal and relatively strict standards for use of the term ‘organic’.  Should certified be getting the same treatment? 

Perhaps. Because today, the same fate is rapidly befalling another over-used term completely lacking in any standardization –the certification label. Everything from security systems to cars can fall under that rubric with absolutely no guarantee of anything… and, taken a step further in the auto industry, the acronym CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) is in danger of the same semantic ignominy.

When CPO programs first came into being, they were extremely limited and only offered by manufacturers – in fact, back then, the term CPO could only be used by manufacturers (and that is still true in some states today); but gradually others, including many in the online space, picked up the idea of ‘certifying’ used vehicles – and today, more and more automotive programs and individual dealerships are trumpeting the term ‘certified,’ with no real accountability. Random and excessive use of the term risks car-buyer cynicism.

But, just as with ‘natural’, there is a good news/bad news component to ‘certified’.  People like and want the concept of natural foods even if they don’t necessarily believe it on the label, likewise with ‘certified’.  It immediately conjures up something that car-buyers want – and data confirms that consumers are more likely to purchase a vehicle if it is certified.

But where will those numbers go if there is no real standardization? If easily thrown together dealership programs - which are little more than shrink-wrapped warranty programs lacking third-party inspection, buy-back guarantees, or other benefits typical of the best OEM programs – flood the market under the CPO banner, then the best programs will lose their power.  In fact, the definitions of certification are so broad that it could mean nothing more than an inspection or a full tank of gas or a certified mechanic with some sort of competency test.

At SureSale we too use the term ‘certified’…because consumers continue to embrace the term and it still retains a halo that is reflective of the solid elements of our program; but we see an impending dilution to the term, which is why we have focused on ensuring program elements that are robust for both dealer and consumer -- and why we are seeking to redefine not only the word certification, but the category as well. If dealers are going to be able to meet the significant opportunities on the horizon as new and used vehicle sales (and trade-ins) ramp up in an extremely competitive sales market that is peopled with ever-more demanding consumers, they must be able to offer substance behind the certified rhetoric.  And that means not just a good warranty program, but multiple elements that reassure the consumer (such as third party inspections, buyback guarantees, service contracts, vehicle history reports, pricing information and so on) -  elements that adhere to a strict consistent standard that is the same whether the consumer purchases in New Jersey or Arizona.

While we may never be able to move CPO beyond ‘natural’ into a USDA seal of approval, at SureSale, we are doing our best to shift practices across the industry, which, in the end, will provide not only greater consumer likelihood to purchase, but greater profits for dealerships.

Follow me on Twitter @jeffreysuresale

http://jeffreyschwartz.com/