In many use cases, the VDP also does the heavy lifting of introducing the user to the Shift brand and unique value propositions. With the end goal being building user trust in Shift as a used car retailer. This is especially true for third-party visitors that link directly to the VDP, bypassing more traditional brand engagement opportunities (homepage, about, and other evergreen content pages).

Unlike its direct online-only competitors (Carvana and Vroom), Shift maintained a hybrid business model that didn’t readily translate to a clear user mental model. In addition to online vehicle purchases, Shift delivered free test drives (limited to customers only within the delivery range of a local Shift location, or “hub”) with the immediate opportunity to buy the vehicle “on the spot.” Or a free test drive at a hub (which aligned with a more traditional used car dealership experience).

With Shift’s then-increasing profile (thanks to third-party site placement, social media branding efforts, traditional media coverage, and nationwide television advertising), it was paramount to ensure the VDP was optimized to tell the Shift story, help customers find helpful vehicle information, and convert leads to purchasers.