In today’s digital-first world, speed isn’t just an advantage—it’s a necessity. Auto dealer websites, however, may be falling behind. According to a comprehensive survey by Shift Digital, a Michigan-based leader in digital solutions, sluggish site performance is costing dealers both customers and revenue. After analyzing more than 3,300 U.S. mobile dealer websites in October, Shift Digital uncovered a glaring trend: slow websites are driving potential buyers away, significantly reducing engagement and conversion rates.
The Speed Problem: Why Every Second Counts
Shift Digital’s Shopper Survey revealed a hidden trap many auto dealers face: in their quest to provide users with more tools—like trade-in calculators, service schedulers, and live chat—websites are becoming cluttered and inefficient. The result is slower load times, and for customers, that’s a dealbreaker.
Mobile users, in particular, demand speed. Studies show that for every additional second a dealer’s mobile website takes to load, customer engagement drops significantly. Conversely, speeding up load times by just one second can increase engagement by 11%.
Matt VanDyke, President of Shift Digital, likened the experience to a grocery store checkout line. “Imagine you’re waiting behind someone with a full cart, and next to you is an empty line. You’d move to the faster lane every time,” he said. The same behavior applies to website visitors: faced with delays, users abandon slow dealer sites and head to competitors with faster, more responsive platforms.
The Cost of Poor Performance: Dollars Down the Drain
Speed isn’t just about customer satisfaction—it’s a matter of dollars and cents. Dan Reynolds, who leads Shift Digital’s Advanced Analytics team, explained that slow websites aren’t just leaking users; they’re bleeding money.
On average, $30 of every $100 a dealer spends on advertising is wasted due to poor website performance. That inefficiency comes from lost traffic and higher bounce rates, which means fewer people engaging with promotions or completing actions like booking a service or browsing inventory.
“This is what we call the ‘leaky bucket’ problem,” Reynolds said. “Dealers are spending big on advertising but losing a chunk of that investment because their websites aren’t up to par. It’s a frustrating cycle, but it’s fixable.”
Opportunities for Improvement: Fix What’s Broken
The good news? Dealers don’t have to accept these losses. Shift Digital’s survey also outlined practical solutions to help dealerships speed up their websites and improve customer experiences.
Regular website audits are the first step. Dealers should evaluate elements that drag down performance, like oversized images, outdated vendor links, and unused tags from old campaigns. Compressing images and eliminating unnecessary features can dramatically reduce load times without sacrificing functionality.
Another powerful tool is Google Core Web Vitals, a set of standardized metrics that measure critical aspects of user experience, including load speed, interactivity, and visual stability. By adopting these metrics, dealers can identify and address weak points on their sites, ensuring customers stick around instead of bouncing in frustration.
Better Sites, Better Business: Turning Clicks Into Customers
Faster, more efficient dealer websites don’t just keep visitors on the page—they convert them into customers. According to Shift Digital’s findings, high-performing sites can attract and retain over 25% more users.
This boost in engagement translates directly to business outcomes. Customers who linger on a site are more likely to schedule a service, explore financing options, or even make a purchase. In a competitive market, these conversions can make all the difference.
“Marketing budgets are tight, and websites need to deliver results,” VanDyke stressed. “By focusing on speed and user experience, dealers can transform their websites from costly liabilities into powerful tools for growth.”
For dealers looking to stay ahead, the full report is available on Shift Digital’s website. It offers detailed insights and actionable strategies to enhance site performance, improve user experience, and maximize advertising ROI.
