These of us of a sure age might imagine we’re necessary to consumer-facing companies. It is not as a lot as you may assume.

We matter, in fact, and spend cash that advertisers need. The truth is, nevertheless, that youthful adults are sometimes the popular goal as a result of they’ve way more spending energy forward of them than middle-aged and older customers do.

In tv, for instance, advertisers have lengthy favored the 18-to-49 demographic, pushed by the thought of reaching younger adults after they begin spending after which nurturing them as their spending habits and earnings enhance over time. The identical factor usually applies to different media and retail firms and naturally, auto dealerships.

Since I joined Automotive Information in January, there was buzz about dealerships boosting their retail expertise in methods that can attain older of us who’ve develop into tech-savvy, but additionally youthful prospects for whom expertise is as pure to residing as respiratory.

Group 1 Automotive Inc. gives an excellent instance. The dealership big held its 2023 second-quarter earnings name final week. Within the three quarters I’ve coated the corporate to this point, it has frequently highlighted progress with its AcceleRide digital platform.

Greater than 80 p.c of Group 1’s prospects within the second quarter used AcceleRide for not less than some a part of their auto buy transaction, CEO Daryl Kenningham stated throughout the name. These numbers mirror regular will increase from earlier quarters, the corporate stated.

Investments to draw youthful and different tech-savvy prospects are also bearing fruit at different dealerships. I am engaged on a narrative about one: a dealership group that employed a chief expertise officer and IT workers to spice up tech instruments and effectivity within the car-buying course of.

Are fascinating/youthful prospects enthusiastic about these and different retail expertise developments in auto retail? We’ll see.

Write me at [email protected].