South Africa’s automotive retail sector is changing rapidly, with advances in artificial intelligence, growing access to data and evolving customer expectations transforming how dealerships attract buyers, manage stock and make business decisions.
Against this backdrop, AutoTrader will bring the dealer community together for Dealer Connect 2026, the most anticipated automotive event of the year, taking place in Sandton on 12 November 2026.
More than a traditional dealer conference, this year’s Dealer Connect will put the changing automotive retail landscape at the centre of the conversation, bringing together dealers, industry leaders and international expertise to examine what is changing, what it means for dealerships and where new growth opportunities are emerging.
Technology will be a central theme throughout the event, with a particular focus on the growing role of data and artificial intelligence in dealership operations, customer engagement and vehicle retail.
“Automotive retail is moving quickly, and dealers are having to navigate changes in technology, customer behaviour and the competitive landscape at the same time,” says George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader.
“Dealer Connect allows us 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,” adds Mienie.
From global trends to local action
Dealer Connect 2026 will combine South African market intelligence with perspectives from beyond the local automotive industry.
Timo Bolse, an experienced international product and technology executive with a background in some of the world’s major digital marketplace businesses, will examine the forces shaping marketplaces internationally and what those developments could mean for automotive retailers in South Africa.
Bolse’s career includes senior roles at companies including eBay, OLX Group and mobile.de, where his work has focused on product development, new business models and platform growth.
Rather than examining global trends in isolation, the event will bring the conversation back to the dealership floor, exploring what retailers can do differently as customer expectations, technology and digital marketplaces continue to evolve.
AutoTrader will also use its own market intelligence to examine the state of South Africa’s automotive retail sector and reflect on developments across its dealer ecosystem over the past year.
Dealers themselves will form part of that conversation, sharing how technology, data and digital tools are already influencing their operations and creating measurable business impact.
The customer journey starts earlier
Dealer Connect will also explore a fundamental shift confronting automotive retailers: a customer’s buying journey increasingly begins long before they enquire about a vehicle.
Social platforms, video, online reviews, digital marketplaces and other channels are influencing perceptions of dealerships and vehicles earlier in the consideration process.
For dealers, this means competing for more than the final enquiry. Reputation, visibility and content are increasingly shaping consideration long before a customer submits an enquiry, making a dealer’s presence across the broader digital journey more important than ever.
These changes will take centre stage at Dealer Connect, where the future of the dealership and the opportunities shaping automotive retail will be brought to life.
A glimpse at what comes next
AutoTrader will also use Dealer Connect 2026 to provide its dealer network with a look at the next stage of its technology and product evolution.
While several announcements will be reserved for the event itself, Dealer Connect will showcase how AutoTrader is evolving its platform around changing consumer behaviour and dealer needs, with a particular emphasis on intelligent technology, simpler digital experiences and the use of data to create greater value for dealers.
“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,” concludes Mienie.
Alongside its market and technology programme, Dealer Connect will recognise dealer achievement through a series of awards celebrating performance across the AutoTrader dealer community.
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