A New Jersey used car dealer sells six days a week. Leads come in on all seven. The question is what happens to the ones that arrive on the day you are not allowed to sell.
New Jersey's rule is one of the strictest
N.J.S.A. 2C:33-26 makes it a disorderly persons offense to engage in the business of buying, selling or exchanging motor vehicles on Sunday. A first offense carries a fine of up to $100, up to 10 days in jail, or both. The penalties climb from there, and a licensed dealer can have the license suspended or revoked.
Meanwhile, across the Hudson
New York is not on the list of states that restrict Sunday sales. A North Jersey shopper who wants to buy on Sunday can cross a bridge and do it. The way to keep that shopper is to get a Monday appointment on the calendar before Sunday is over.
Shoppers would rather text than take a call
In PERQ's research on dealership website visitors, 24% said they prefer to be contacted by text and only 8% by phone. Most, 67%, preferred email. Read the coverage. A voicemail on Monday is the reply shoppers want least. A text and an email within a minute is the one they read.
Sunday: answer, don't sell
What a store may say to a shopper on Sunday is a legal question, and with penalties like New Jersey's it is worth asking your attorney or your dealer association. Jason, our AI sales agent for dealerships, follows the rules you set for each day. A common Sunday setup is to confirm the car is available, answer basic questions and book a visit for Monday or later, with no price talk and no paperwork. An example, not a real customer:
Hi Priya, this is Jason with Brightline Motors. The 2020 Rogue SV is still on the lot: 47k miles, one owner. We're closed today, but I can set up a test drive for Monday. Would 11 AM or 6 PM work better?
Use automation to make Saturday count
- Shoppers who ask during the week get offered Saturday times first
- Every appointment gets a confirmation and a reminder the day before
- Trade-in year, model and miles are collected ahead of the visit
- Anyone who goes quiet gets a follow-up without a salesperson lifting a finger
What the sales CRM shows you Monday at 9
Jason comes with his own sales CRM. On Monday morning it shows the test drives booked over the weekend, the shoppers waiting on a price from your team, the trade-ins to appraise and the leads due for a follow-up. Payments, rates and credit approvals are always handed to a person.
See how he texts
Try the demo and Jason will text you like a shopper. When you're ready, sign up. Plans start at $399 a month for 75 new leads, with no setup fee and no contract. Also selling in Pennsylvania? Read the Philadelphia guide.