Your Edmunds car dealer reviews are important because 59 percent of car buyers are conducting online research for their new vehicle. Specifically, 46 percent of that group are trying to find a dealership or get information about a dealer.
With your Edmunds.com car dealer reviews and ratings, prospective customers will know whether or not your dealership is worth their time, and more importantly, money. This puts the pressure on you to not only gather a steady stream of customer reviews but to also make sure that their feedback is positive and full of praise.
To that end, we created this handy guide so that you know where to find your Edmunds car dealer reviews and how you can use them to your advantage.
Where are your Edmunds Car Dealer Reviews?
Edmunds visitors will get a quick glance at your dealership’s overall rating if they are searching for a car in your area and the vehicle is in your inventory. They can then click on the specific car listing to find out more information about the vehicle, which includes the name of the dealership.
Clicking on the dealer name will then take them to your dealership page, which includes your business address, contact information, operating hours, cars in stock, and customer reviews.
Your Edmunds Dealership Page and Customer Reviews
The “Customer Reviews” section of your Edmunds dealership page will show your overall star rating, the total number of submitted reviews, and a small breakdown that shows which of the reviews recommend your dealership. Edmunds says that your star rating is based on all reviews spanning the last two years. Specifically, the rating incorporates reviews from the first day of the current month all the way back to the exact date two years ago.
By default, the newest review will be visible on the page. Customers can also filter your reviews to only show feedback of either the sales or service experience. Clicking on the “Read More Reviews” button below the most recent will show additional customer reviews. By default these are sorted by the newest reviews first, but you can also sort them by the highest or lowest rating.
In addition to the star rating and text, each reviewer will also need to provide additional details for their review. For sales-based reviews, Edmunds will show if the author recommends the dealership and if they purchased a vehicle from the dealer. For service-based reviews, Edmunds will ask the reviewer even more questions for further context. These include:
- Do you recommend this dealer?
- Were you satisfied with the quality of work performed on your vehicle?
- Did the dealership complete the work within the timeframe promised?
- Did the dealership provide you with an accurate quote of the work to be performed?
- Do you feel the price paid for service(s) was fair and appropriate?
- Did the dealer honor all commitments made?
Reviews submitted by customers aren’t immediately posted to your Edmunds dealership page. A team of moderators from Edmunds will read and evaluate the review first to ensure that it follows the site’s guidelines before it is officially published. That entire process takes about two business days.
Responding to your Edmunds Car Dealer Reviews
It’s enough to simply garner a plethora of reviews on your Edmunds dealership page. You’ll need to interact with the customers that decide to leave feedback on your page. Research shows that 63 percent of customers never get a response to their reviews, and taking the time to do so can put you ahead of competing dealerships.
By responding to reviews, you tell current and future customers that you are an engaging brand and genuinely value their feedback.
Anyone from the dealership can easily respond to a review on Edmunds without creating an account. To do so:
- Go to the dealership’s page on Edmunds and find the review in question.
- Click on the “post a comment” link at the bottom of the review. You are then redirected to another page.
- Before writing your response make sure you enter a “display name” – which will be public – as well as a valid email address.
- Write your response to the review and then check the box below the text field to verify that you are responding on behalf of the dealership.
How to Respond to Positive Edmunds Dealer Reviews
Rave reviews are one of the best sources of marketing for any dealership. These genuine reactions from real-world customers are valuable social proof for anyone looking to learn more about your dealership and how the customer experience stands out from the competition.
These customers are your promoters so make sure you thank them for their praise and the time they spent writing the review.
If possible, point specific parts about their experience such as the salesperson they worked with or the vehicle they bought from you. This level of detail tells the reviewer that you are actually paying attention to their feedback, and it could be another step in improving the relationship with a potentially recurring customer.
How to Respond to Negative Edmunds Dealer Reviews
Research shows that an online review convinced 94 percent of consumers to avoid a business, and any of the negative reviews on your dealership page is enough to deter people away. However, this doesn’t mean that you should ignore these reviews entirely. You should still put aside some time to respond to their complaints.
After thanking them for their feedback and apologizing (if necessary) for the experience they had at the dealership, you should use your response to provide a specific solution to the customer issue. If necessary, take the conversation offline to further resolve additional issues.
If you successfully make amends with the reviewer make sure that you ask them to update their review. Edmunds allows users to update their review once after it is published.
Even if your efforts are unsuccessful it’s still worth responding to negative reviews. Doing so makes it more likely for 45 percent of consumers to visit you.
Get More Reviews for your Edmunds Dealership Page
Reviews are one of the main keys to a positive online reputation, and you should have a process in place to acquire new reviews from every customer that comes through your doors.
Fortunately, there are multiple ways to get these valuable pieces of feedback. You can provide a physical handout before they drive off in their new car or set up an automation process that will ask for reviews via SMS messages or email. There’s also the option to have a review process in place through a tablet at the dealership, or you can simply ask them verbally to leave a review.
Creating this constant stream of feedback can work wonders for your online presence. It shows that you’re getting a steady flow of customers in addition to further bolstering your online credibility.
Great Experiences = Great Reviews
One of the best ways to get more positive reviews for your business is by delivering a customer experience that is worthy of a great review. This can be anything from being courteous and friendly to being transparent when it comes to pricing and financing. Cox Automotive revealed that 61 percent of those who purchased or leased a vehicle said their most recent purchase experience was about the same or worse than the previous visit.
By taking the advice of your negative reviews, you can find many ways to improve the sales and service experience to improve customer retention and acquisition.
Using Edmunds TMV to your Advantage
One of the site’s unique features is Edmunds TMV, or True Market Value, which shows consumers the price that other buyers paid for a car with a similar make, model, trim, and additional options. This helps the customer get a better idea of a price range when it comes to negotiation, but dealerships can also take advantage of the Edmunds TMV as well.
Research shows that 71 percent of car shoppers are researching online for vehicle prices. By getting a general idea of what local buyers are paying for a specific vehicle variant you are able to have a better time negotiating the price with each customer. A stress-free negotiation and purchase lead to happy customers and salespeople.
The Power of Edmunds Car Dealer Reviews
Cox Automotive revealed that the people visit an average of two dealers when it comes to buying a new or used vehicle. With the increasing popularity of online auto sites like Edmunds, it’s more important than ever to monitor your dealership reviews. By improving the experience with feedback and finding ways to get more reviews, your dealership can get more customers, relationships, and revenue in the long run.
