Cadillac to Create Digitally Dependent Sales Experiences

Buyers walking into a Cadillac dealer in the near future could find an interesting thing on the car lot: nothing.

The company has hatched a plan to convert a portion of Cadillac’s 925 stores into virtual dealerships that will be low on overhead and big on sophisticated technology.

In a somewhat unprecedented way of moving metal, Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen will this month begin looking for commitments from some store owners willing to set up showrooms where buyers can get a car serviced, or learn about products, via virtual reality headsets.

Driving away in a new car will be impossible; the stores will have no inventory.

The virtual stores are part of a broader retail-strategy overhaul that de Nysschen introduced to dealers a few months ago. A spokesman for GM said the company is working on the concept and researching technologies for virtual dealerships.  Source: Wall Street Journal