Cedar Rapids, IA, April 27, 2020 – Ideal Computer Systems and c-Systems Software Inc., two leading industry-specific dealership software vendors in North America, are pleased to announce their jointly developed Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE) Market Data Report that allows dealers to monitor various industry trends on a weekly basis, for free.

The report draws data such as transactional details, inventory position and task completion from over 1,400 OPE dealers, who have been supplying Ideal and c-Systems with this data over the last four years.

As a result, this report is the largest, most accurate source of dealership and market year-over-year trending information in the industry. It allows dealers to:

• Compare daily OPE dealer revenue to the two-year average on a weekly basis.
• Stay updated on how many dealerships have closed down or suspended operations in various regions on a weekly basis.

Due to the latest developments concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, the numbers have been staggeringly negative. Here is the latest data, published on April 21:

• Average retail sales decline for previous week over average year: -13%
• Greatest single weekly decline over average year: -16%

Wednesday, March 28, 2020, gets the honors for the greatest single-day revenue decline since January, at -16%. These steep two-digit declines began happening on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, at -15% – roughly when the COVID-19 pandemic kicked into high gear.

Leading up to that day, however, OPE dealership revenues were mostly trending upwards, with the peak 22% increase happening on March 6. On Wednesday, March 11, when the US government banned European travel, OPE dealers saw a 4% decline, with the daily increases becoming replaced with consistent decreases, leading into the eventual steep decline of -15% on March 18.

As for closures, the latest data shows the following:

• Approximately 10% of dealerships closed or suspended business.
• Canada dealerships are reopening, but all regions in the US have increased closures last week.

The OPE magazine provides even more details on the month of March, so be sure to check them out.

To sign up for the weekly OPE Market Data from Ideal and c-Systems, visit this page: constellationdealer.com/ope-market-update. This page is also where you can register for Ideal and c-Systems’ upcoming webinar that will provide further details on the OPE Market Data and how it can help your dealership.

About Ideal Computer Systems

Many dealers struggle to manage their dealership having to use multiple systems and often duplicating the data. Ideal gives dealers all the tools they need to manage each aspect of their business in one, easy-to-use software – backed up by 30+ years of industry experience.

With an all-in-one software, dealers are able to automate processes, gain control of their dealership and have peace of mind. To learn more about Ideal, visit: www.idealcomputersystems.com.

About c-Systems Software Inc.

c-Systems Software Inc. is a business management solution vendor for outdoor power equipment, agricultural and powersports dealers. It’s tough to keep every single dealership process, department and employee in check when there are so many of them. That’s why c-Systems created one system to manage it all, so that dealers can stop fussing about the little things and focus on the big picture.

Acquired by Constellation Software Inc. in 2018, c-Systems continues to provide the specialization and individual attention dealers expect from a family-oriented company, while benefitting from the stability and support of an organization with over 20,000 customers worldwide.

To learn more about c-Systems, visit: www.csystemssoftware.com.