A new report: “The Day 4 Cliff: Dealers Are Losing Sales by Ending Lead Follow-Up Too Soon” by Marcus Amick on CarDealershipGuy (August 25, 2025) makes it clear: too many dealers are leaving money on the table by walking away from leads after the initial 72-hour window.
The report, based on Foureyes’ analysis of more than eight million sales opportunities, found that:
- 73.3% of sales happen in the first three days, when close rates peak at 12.4%.
- 26.7% of sales still happen after Day 3, often with internet and phone leads converting well into weeks two, three, and four.
- From Days 8–14, 10.6% of online leads and 7.8% of phone leads still close.
- Brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota see 30% or more of their total sales occur after Day 3.
The bottom line? Not every buyer is ready to pull the trigger on Day one. Many are still researching price, features, or financing. If your follow-up falls off after Day Three, you’re handing those deals to the competition.
What We’re Seeing in the Field
Andrew Sweet, VP of SaaS Solutions for ACV, sees the same trend in practice through secret shopping:
“For the last ~500 retail trade-ins we’ve secret shopped, the contact rate is only about 75%. When the lead indicates they’re only looking to sell, not buy, the contact rate falls into the 50s. And after day three, consistent follow-up is virtually non-existent.”
He adds:
“When dealers stop following up after day three, they’re giving permission for the competition to close that sale. We see it every day. Shoppers don’t disappear, they just buy from someone else. Consistent, structured follow-up is the difference between a lost opportunity and a won deal.”
Unlocking the Right Follow-Up Blueprint
At ACV, we’ve built and tested a blueprint that helps dealers capture those “back-half” opportunities:
- Timing: Structured touch points that extend well beyond Day Three, matching cadence to lead type and intent.
- Method: A balanced mix of call, text, and email outreach—calibrated to the customer journey instead of a one-size-fits-all blast.
- Scripts: Proven talk tracks that keep the conversation alive, whether the customer is in buying mode or just exploring trade-in options.
When dealers follow this playbook, they stop treating late-cycle leads as dead ends and start treating them as delayed wins.
Why It Matters
Foureyes’ report highlights what we’ve been saying for years: the “Day Four Cliff” is where too many dealerships drop off. But with nearly one in four sales happening after that mark, the stores that stay engaged longer are the ones capturing incremental revenue and loyalty.
Your competitors are either going to scoop up those sales, or you are. The difference comes down to whether you have the right process in place, and if it’s repeatable no matter who is working the lead. Consistency is key.
Our blueprint ensures you’re still there when buyers are ready. The right timing, method, and messaging mean you don’t just win early buyers, you win the late ones too.
Get the blueprint
Sources
- Amick, Marcus. “The Day 4 Cliff: Dealers Are Losing Sales by Ending Lead Follow-Up Too Soon.” CarDealershipGuy, Aug. 25, 2025. Read here.
