Memphis’ City Auto Ranks Third in Internet Sales Nationally

According to AutoDealerDaily.com, a national automotive industry publication, City Auto on Elmore Rd. may be the best kept secret in used car sales. The magazine ranked the Memphis, TN based wholesale auto mall as the third largest pre-owned auto dealership in US internet sales. In addition, the company is recognized as the South’s largest used car dealership, the Mid-South’s largest wholesale dealership, and the #1 Internet Dealership in Tennessee.

With over 190,000 sales to customers from Iceland, to Italy, to Iowa, the company has experienced consistent growth since its inception in 1986. In fact, the company sells more used cars than any other Memphis dealership - every month.

Owner David Andrews attributes City Auto’s success to the way they treat their customers. "We treat customers like family," he says. "From the moment they walk through our door, we want them to feel at home." The dealership’s high volume of referral and repeat business supports Andrews’ belief. Customers really seem to respond to City Auto’s zero-pressure atmosphere. Unlike other dealerships, City Auto shoppers always deal directly with the person responsible for the auto they’re interested in buying. There is no manager to push sales quotas or commission system to encourage haggling. Each broker bought or traded each vehicle he sells; that’s something that makes City Auto unique in the industry.

Another difference is in City Auto’s internet presence. "Other dealerships treat their websites like online billboards - just another way to get their name in front of the customer," says Andrews. "CityAuto.com is different. Our website is really like a silent salesman, always there to give the customer all the information he needs to make a decision." Internet sales account for half of City Auto’s overall revenue.

The dealership's online inventory includes the more than 1,000 cars, trucks, SUV's and other vehicles on the Elmore Rd. lot. Vehicles are showcased from several different angles to give shoppers a clear idea of the car they're interested in, before they even go to the dealership.

"Most of our customers find the vehicle they want online before they come out to see it," Andrews says. "So our job is pretty simple: match the customer with the car, and if they like it, make the rest of the process as easy and comfortable as possible."

CityAuto.com's integrated online loan pre-approval feature aids in expediting sales. "I've actually had out of town customers fly into Memphis, come in for a test drive, sign all the paperwork, and walk out the door in a matter of minutes," adds Andrews.

CityAuto.com was launched in 2000, long before other car dealerships. At first, they assumed that web sales would only work for new cars, but quickly recognized there was also a niche in the pre-owned market. "People knew where shop for a new Honda or a new Ford," Andrews noted, "But they didn't know where to find an affordable pre-owned alternative."

David Andrews founded City Auto in 1986 as a wholesale auto dealership. Today, City Auto has grown to include three sales locations, fleet sales, two auctions, and a healthy online marketplace.

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