Dealer Connect ‘26 to put the buyer journey, AI in…

The event will examine how advances in artificial intelligence, growing access to data and evolving customer expectations are changing the way dealerships attract buyers, manage stock and make business decisions.

AutoTrader says this year's event will go beyond a traditional dealer conference, placing the changing automotive retail landscape at the centre of the discussion. Dealers, industry leaders and international speakers will look at what is changing, what it means for dealerships and where new growth opportunities are emerging. Technology will be a central theme, with a particular focus on the role of data and artificial intelligence in dealership operations, customer engagement and vehicle retail.

George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader, says: "Automotive retail is moving quickly, and dealers are having to navigate changes in technology, customer behaviour and the competitive landscape at the same time."

He adds that Dealer Connect allows them to bring the industry together, examine what is happening in the market and, importantly, translate those shifts into what they mean for dealers. “The focus is not technology for technology's sake. It is about using innovation to help dealers make better decisions, operate more efficiently and ultimately grow their businesses."

International perspective will come from Timo Bolse, a product and technology executive with a background in major digital marketplace businesses. His career includes senior roles at eBay, OLX Group and mobile.de, where his work has focused on product development, new business models and platform growth. He will examine the forces shaping marketplaces internationally and what those developments could mean for automotive retailers in South Africa.

AutoTrader will also use its own market intelligence to look at the state of the local automotive retail sector and developments across its dealer ecosystem over the past year. Dealers will take part in that conversation, sharing how technology, data and digital tools are already influencing their operations and creating measurable business impact.

The programme will also explore a shift facing retailers, in that a customer's buying journey increasingly begins long before they enquire about a vehicle. Social platforms, video, online reviews and digital marketplaces are influencing perceptions of dealerships and vehicles earlier in the consideration process. For dealers, this means competing for more than the final enquiry, as reputation, visibility and content shape consideration before a customer submits an enquiry.

Several announcements will be reserved for the event, which will show how the company is evolving its platform around changing consumer behaviour and dealer needs, with an emphasis on intelligent technology, simpler digital experiences and the use of data.

George concludes by saying that possibility comes from understanding where the market is going and then turning that knowledge into something useful. “Our dealers are on the front line of this industry every day, and Dealer Connect is about bringing those businesses into the conversation and showing what becomes possible when industry experience, technology and data come together to build a world where both sides win."

Alongside the market and technology programme, the event will recognise dealer achievement through a series of awards across the AutoTrader dealer community, with technology demonstrations and networking also on the agenda.