A growing number of consumers are buying vehicles from a single dealership, a trend CDK Global said is helping drive higher customer satisfaction during the buying process.
According to the company’s latest Ease of Purchase Scorecard, 41 per cent of buyers in 2025 visited only one dealership before completing a purchase, up from 34 per cent in 2024 and 32 per cent in 2023. The highest monthly result reached 49 per cent in November 2025.
The trend continued into early 2026, with 44 per cent of buyers sticking to one store in February and 43 per cent in March before falling to 37 per cent in April. During the same period, CDK’s Ease of Purchase Score peaked at 88 per cent in March before declining to 81 per cent in April.
CDK said inventory availability remains one of the strongest drivers behind one-stop shopping behaviour. In both February and March, 44 per cent and 43 per cent of customers respectively said the vehicle they wanted was available in stock.
The report also pointed to improving salesperson performance and stronger digital retail tools as factors helping customers commit to a single dealership.
Despite higher ease-of-purchase scores, dealerships continue to struggle with customer advocacy. CDK’s Friction Points Study found many buyers remain reluctant to recommend dealerships, citing ongoing frustrations tied to pricing negotiations and delays in finance and insurance processes.
The report also suggested broader economic uncertainty may be influencing buyer sentiment. The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index fell to 47.6 in April 2026, its lowest level in 74 years.
CDK said dealerships that combine strong inventory management with faster processes and relationship-focused experiences are more likely to turn satisfied buyers into long-term promoters.
