Every year, OEMs roll out order periods with tremendous marketing, flashy programs, and a heavy dose of hype. The strategy is simple: create urgency, play on emotion, and push dealers toward bigger orders. The message is often framed around lofty market share goals and aggressive growth targets.
But here’s the reality: markets don’t shift overnight. If every OEM expects to grow share by 10% this year, simple math tells us that isn’t possible. Market expansion typically follows slow, gradual trend lines in seasonal patterns that are fairly predictable.
That’s why the best dealers know how to take the emotion out of the ordering process. Instead of reacting to the hype, they build their orders on analytics and data-driven plans.
Smart dealers start with retail forecasts and layer in:
From there, they calculate an open-to-buy budget — a clear, analytical number that guides how much inventory should be purchased. This provides a baseline to compare against OEM allocations and program offers.
Yes, dealers will sometimes adjust for program benefits or marketing support, but doing so with a clear understanding of the risks — particularly carry costs on excess inventory — is critical.
Many dealers have used open-to-buy purchasing for years in parts and accessories. The same discipline works for major unit orders. By applying analytics instead of emotion, dealers ensure that inventory levels align with real market opportunity, not inflated projections or manufacturer capacity goals.
What’s next? Put it into practice with DealerAI: Major Unit Order Discussion with a DSM. (Found in the 20 Group Knowledge Hub)
Master data-driven negotiation in a realistic roleplay—use data (not emotions) to justify your decisions and sharpen your sales strategy.
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