Auto dealers are experts at merchandising inventory on their lots and in their showrooms. The vehicles are clean, shiny, and positioned to appear their best.
Online merchandising can be more challenging. The first impression a vehicle makes can significantly impact a potential buyer’s decision-making process. However, photos and videos taken by staff or by vendors can be of inconsistent quality with distracting backgrounds.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that can help dealers with several online merchandising tasks, including photo editing and improving the appearance of vehicles. A simple way to do this is by replacing real, often less than perfect backgrounds, with neutral, custom-branded, clean backgrounds.
AI can quickly generate new inventory backgrounds that are suited to the dealer’s taste. This could mean a background that looks like the vehicle was sitting in a photo booth, or in front of a storefront, or a background with a simple, neutral color.
But is changing the background on all inventory photos even necessary, let alone realistic? Let’s dive deeper into the benefits of using AI-generated backgrounds.
Puts the Spotlight on Your Vehicles
When a customer is online, you want the focus to be on your vehicle, not on the background. A professional appearance can make the difference between capturing or losing a customer’s interest. AI-generated backgrounds ensure that every vehicle on your Vehicle Detail Pages (VDPs) and Search Results Pages (SRPs) boast a polished and professional presentation. By seamlessly replacing distracting backgrounds with a neutral, aesthetically pleasing backdrop, the focus remains squarely on the vehicle.
This professional look enhances the overall visual appeal and instills confidence in potential buyers. A cohesive and clean presentation assures customers that the vehicle they see online is the exact vehicle waiting for them on your lot. This trust-building element goes a long way to create a positive customer experience and set the stage for a potential sale.
Elevates Your Dealership’s Identity
Consistency is important when it comes to branding, and AI-generated backgrounds provide a powerful tool for maintaining uniformity across your inventory. Regardless of the time of day, the photographer, or the vehicle’s size, AI ensures that your SRPs feature vehicles with consistent backgrounds and lighting. This creates page after page of organized inventory while allowing dealerships to reinforce their brand identity.
Customizable backgrounds offer an opportunity to showcase your dealership’s unique features. Instead of opting for generic white backgrounds, choose a backdrop that complements your dealership’s theme or prominently features your logo. This not only sets your inventory apart, but also reinforces your dealership’s identity in the minds of potential buyers.
Saves Money and Time
The sooner your inventory photos are up, the more leads you generate. The manual effort and time required to crop, edit, and replace backgrounds is costly and unrealistic when racing against the clock. Enter AI, the efficiency booster that can generate backgrounds in a fraction of the time, without compromising quality.
AI can also take the stress out of photography for your staff and vendors. Instead of worrying about what’s in the background, photographers can simply snap photos anywhere. If power lines are in the background, no problem! AI can easily edit them out or replace the background altogether.
Automating online photo editing and the background replacement process liberates staff from tedious tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic aspects of the sales process. Needless to say, using AI-generated backgrounds translates into significant cost savings. Now, your dealership can maintain a visually appealing inventory without stretching resources thin.
The adoption of AI-generated inventory backgrounds is a move that is re-defining how dealerships present inventory online. From establishing a professional appearance and ensuring consistency in branding, to saving time and resources, AI is a catalyst for elevating the customer experience.
