Low on Inventory? Consider These Tips for Selling What Your Dealership Has in Stock

Is there anything more frustrating than having customers clamoring for a product you normally carry, and having to turn them away? Inventory supply does not always match demand, as the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted. For example, the powersports industry saw an unprecedented boom during 2020, due to people looking for fun, socially distant outdoor activities.

While high demand may seem like a good thing for your dealership, it can become a problem. You may fear that you’ll lose customers who can’t buy what they want, or that you’ll be unable to move what inventory you do have. Learn how to keep these customers interested so they become fans of your dealership and buy from you when stock returns.

5 tips for responding when a product is out of stock

When inventory is low, it’s not the time to stay quiet! Instead, seize the power of social media to nurture your customer relationships. How you respond to inquiries about unavailable products can make or break a customer relationship. 

1. Stay positive

First, stay positive by saying something like, “So many of you loved this product that we’re temporarily out of stock! We’re working on getting this item back as soon as we can.” Don’t forget to thank them for their interest.

2. Offer alternative products and services

Whenever possible, steer shoppers to other products and services. A customer may find a similar product they like even better, and they may end up spending more money with you than expected. If a substitute product is not available, attempt to help customers with products they already own. For example, sell them accessories to upgrade a vehicle. If your dealership provides service, explain how you can keep their current vehicle running smoothly until they’re able to buy a new one.

3. Keep information current

Keep your website as up-to-date as possible so your customers stay informed. Don’t remove items that are out of stock; just make a note. You don’t want to make your customers think that the item is permanently gone or that it was never there to begin with. Suggest that they follow you on social media so they can stay in the know.

4. Communicate frequently

Communicate with your customers, using your website, social media channels, and email. Let them know about how long they can expect to wait for an item to be back in stock. If possible, let them sign up for an email notification when the item is restocked. Consider setting up a reservation system for when inventory is available again to reward your loyal customers who have been waiting. A small discount or free gift shows appreciation, too.

5. Build Excitement

The upside of low inventory is, it makes your products seem that much more desirable! Build on the buzz to show why a product is so in demand and let customers dream of the day when they finally get that item they truly want.

Lean into social media when inventory is low

Stay active on social media in times of high demand and low inventory. Social media isn’t just for selling products or advertising sales — it’s a two-way conversation. Give customers a reason to follow you on social media, visit your website, or recommend you to others. You can do this by providing value.

Social media benefits your dealership in many ways other than boosting sales:

dealership Facebook page
  • Builds brand loyalty. If people like your dealership Facebook page and other social channels, they’ll become fans or followers.
  • Increases sales prospects. The more active and engaged you are online, the more potential customers you’re able to move into your pipeline.
  • Builds trust. Show the faces behind your dealership and give a sense of your company culture to demonstrate your credibility.
  • Gets people in the door for other reasons. You can promote events or educational opportunities designed to help customers get the most out of their products.
  • Shows appreciation for your customers. A simple shoutout in a Facebook post or Instagram story can make your customers feel good about supporting you and recommending you to friends.
Managing an effective social media marketing strategy

Managing an effective social media marketing strategy requires some planning and maintenance, but there are ways to make it more efficient.

Automate your social media for efficient communication

That’s why many retailers automate their social media content with ThumbStopper

Maintaining a consistent social media presence for your dealership can be a challenge, especially if you’re short on time. That’s why many retailers automate their social media content with ThumbStopper. 

ThumbStopper delivers high-quality, content from the brands you carry, straight to your feed. With ThumbStopper, you don’t have to worry about brainstorming content. While you can always mix in your own personalized posts when inspiration strikes, we take care of all the heavy lifting for you. 
Best of all, ThumbStopper helps you post consistently, keeping your business on your customers’ minds during tough times when inventory is low. Learn more about how ThumbStopper’s tools for retailers can help you

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Key Points:

 

  • Companies should understand the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure their websites are accessible.
  • Brands that concentrate on accessibility on social media demonstrate care for their customers and build a positive brand reputation.
  • Brands should always consider inclusive design, such as plain, straightforward language, in their social media posts.

 

 

Accessibility may not be a term you usually associate with the internet and social media. You might picture wheelchair ramps, directional signs in braille, or sign language interpreters at live performances. The landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 dictates the legal necessity of these and similar accommodations in public spaces. As we’ve come to rely on the internet for everything from entertainment to buying groceries, it’s become clear that the internet is now also a public space. It must be accessible to everyone. And like other applications of ADA, businesses that do not comply are liable for damages caused by inaccessibility.

 

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are an international set of standards to provide instruction on meeting accessibility needs. It’s important for companies to understand how this applies to their websites, especially if they engage in e-commerce. In terms of social media, the requirements are less concrete. But prioritizing accessibility on your company’s social media is essential to your reputation, even if the legal requirements are uncertain. We’ll look at why it’s important to your customers, how it affects the perception of your brand, and how to make these changes efficiently.

Social Media for All

The cornerstone of accessibility is inclusive design: products or experiences that are accessible for everyone regardless of disability. The most important place where this shows up is on company websites where most users expect to also find links to the brand’s social media profiles. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of websites are not accessible, despite the fact that the application of ADA to the internet is over 20 years old. Making websites accessible is a complex process without the use of specialized software like Accessibe or EqualWeb.

Unlike websites, making sure your social media is accessible is a straightforward, ongoing process. Every social platform has been quick to release optional accessibility features. These features are important to many users even if they don’t rely on them to use social media.

Making your social presence accessible tells users that your brand cares about people, not just profits. It’s the same idea as the push for the representation of different body sizes in fashion or more expansive skin tone ranges in beauty products. Brands that meet the needs of underrepresented groups endear themselves to others as well. And while optimizing your brand website for accessibility might be a larger project you aren’t ready to tackle yet, starting with your social media pages is a great way to show customers that you’re listening to their concerns. 

 

Making Content Accessible

Shifting to accessible content means incorporating inclusive design into your creative process. The practice varies by type of media. For platforms that have graphics or videos with captions, it means not only adjusting each component but also being mindful of how they interact with each other.

For example, YouTube’s automatically generated closed captions and subtitles are often inaccurate. It's one of many examples where the caption generation software has issues picking up strong accents and mumbled words. This could be remedied with handcrafted video transcription services. If that’s not in the budget, the video creator could add their script or transcription to the video description.

None of the technology for accessibility is perfect yet. Teaching computers to digest complex information for human understanding is difficult, and the variations in disabilities further complicate it. The majority of adjustments creators need to make revolve around helping assistive technology better understand their content. Let’s look at how to make different kinds of content accessible. 

Text

  • Use plain language that’s easy to understand 
  • Avoid text in all caps
  • Capitalize the first letter of each word in a hashtag, like #SocialMediaMarketing, a practice called camel-case

Videos

  • Provide descriptive captions. Instead of just displaying the words people on-screen say, explain background noises and other sounds that are relevant to the scene.
  • Add your own subtitles or enable auto-subtitles on the video platform of your choice
  • Use captioning for live videos when possible

Graphics

Distribute Accessible Content

Many users find their new favorite brand through social media. When disabled people (who make up 26% of the population according to the CDC) can’t access your brand’s social posts, you miss the opportunity to connect with a demographic that’s eager to engage in online communities. On a hyper-local level, that kind of connection goes even further.

That’s why ThumbStopper exists to help brands distribute their social content to their retailer network. Retailers can connect with their local audience - with your accessible, branded content - in a more personal way. And since content goes to their page automatically once they sign up, retailers can effortlessly promote your brand online while focusing on running their business. 

Ready to see how ThumbStopper can help your brand improve its reach? Check out our brand reach calculator or book a demo.

 

 

accessibility
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[/et_pb_column]
What Is Social Media Automation?
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[/et_pb_column]
10 Ways to Automate Your Marketing
[/et_pb_column]
[/et_pb_column]
How Effective Is Your Social Media Strategy
[/et_pb_section][/et_pb_column]
[/et_pb_row]
[/et_pb_column]

Key Points:

 

  • Companies should understand the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure their websites are accessible.
  • Brands that concentrate on accessibility on social media demonstrate care for their customers and build a positive brand reputation.
  • Brands should always consider inclusive design, such as plain, straightforward language, in their social media posts.

 

 

Accessibility may not be a term you usually associate with the internet and social media. You might picture wheelchair ramps, directional signs in braille, or sign language interpreters at live performances. The landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 dictates the legal necessity of these and similar accommodations in public spaces. As we’ve come to rely on the internet for everything from entertainment to buying groceries, it’s become clear that the internet is now also a public space. It must be accessible to everyone. And like other applications of ADA, businesses that do not comply are liable for damages caused by inaccessibility.

 

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are an international set of standards to provide instruction on meeting accessibility needs. It’s important for companies to understand how this applies to their websites, especially if they engage in e-commerce. In terms of social media, the requirements are less concrete. But prioritizing accessibility on your company’s social media is essential to your reputation, even if the legal requirements are uncertain. We’ll look at why it’s important to your customers, how it affects the perception of your brand, and how to make these changes efficiently.

Social Media for All

The cornerstone of accessibility is inclusive design: products or experiences that are accessible for everyone regardless of disability. The most important place where this shows up is on company websites where most users expect to also find links to the brand’s social media profiles. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of websites are not accessible, despite the fact that the application of ADA to the internet is over 20 years old. Making websites accessible is a complex process without the use of specialized software like Accessibe or EqualWeb.

Unlike websites, making sure your social media is accessible is a straightforward, ongoing process. Every social platform has been quick to release optional accessibility features. These features are important to many users even if they don’t rely on them to use social media.

Making your social presence accessible tells users that your brand cares about people, not just profits. It’s the same idea as the push for the representation of different body sizes in fashion or more expansive skin tone ranges in beauty products. Brands that meet the needs of underrepresented groups endear themselves to others as well. And while optimizing your brand website for accessibility might be a larger project you aren’t ready to tackle yet, starting with your social media pages is a great way to show customers that you’re listening to their concerns. 

 

Making Content Accessible

Shifting to accessible content means incorporating inclusive design into your creative process. The practice varies by type of media. For platforms that have graphics or videos with captions, it means not only adjusting each component but also being mindful of how they interact with each other.

For example, YouTube’s automatically generated closed captions and subtitles are often inaccurate. It’s one of many examples where the caption generation software has issues picking up strong accents and mumbled words. This could be remedied with handcrafted video transcription services. If that’s not in the budget, the video creator could add their script or transcription to the video description.

None of the technology for accessibility is perfect yet. Teaching computers to digest complex information for human understanding is difficult, and the variations in disabilities further complicate it. The majority of adjustments creators need to make revolve around helping assistive technology better understand their content. Let’s look at how to make different kinds of content accessible. 

Text

  • Use plain language that’s easy to understand 
  • Avoid text in all caps
  • Capitalize the first letter of each word in a hashtag, like #SocialMediaMarketing, a practice called camel-case

Videos

  • Provide descriptive captions. Instead of just displaying the words people on-screen say, explain background noises and other sounds that are relevant to the scene.
  • Add your own subtitles or enable auto-subtitles on the video platform of your choice
  • Use captioning for live videos when possible

Graphics

Distribute Accessible Content

Many users find their new favorite brand through social media. When disabled people (who make up 26% of the population according to the CDC) can’t access your brand’s social posts, you miss the opportunity to connect with a demographic that’s eager to engage in online communities. On a hyper-local level, that kind of connection goes even further.

That’s why ThumbStopper exists to help brands distribute their social content to their retailer network. Retailers can connect with their local audience – with your accessible, branded content – in a more personal way. And since content goes to their page automatically once they sign up, retailers can effortlessly promote your brand online while focusing on running their business. 

Ready to see how ThumbStopper can help your brand improve its reach? Check out our brand reach calculator or book a demo.

 

 

accessibility
[/et_pb_column]
[/et_pb_column]
What Is Social Media Automation?
[/et_pb_column]
[/et_pb_column]
10 Ways to Automate Your Marketing
[/et_pb_column]
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