Most car shoppers start online, but consider dealers #1 info source
Globally, 94 percent of car shoppers start their research online, says Capgeminis recent study of more than 8,000 consumers in eight countries, including the U.S. But 56 percent of customers say dealers are their number one source of information, an all-time high.
With these better-informed customers, dealers are working with a shorter buying cycle, and must live up to the customers desire for an advanced, more personalized buying experience at the dealership, complete with interactive tools, says Capgemini.
Other findings from the study:
Loyalty to dealers and brands is rising. Loyalty to dealers rose 11 percent, and 16 percent for brands, from last year.
Shoppers increasingly expect the showroom to be informative, interactive and entertaining.
The buying cycle continues to shorten. Seventy-four percent of respondents said that if they are not happy with the response time from the first touch point the manufacturers or dealers website they will walk away. And the first visit to the showroom is moving closer to the time of purchase.
To get connected car features, buyers are willing to share personal data with manufacturers and dealers. For dealers and manufacturers, a connected car offers unprecedented opportunities for direct, customer-specific, targeted marketing.
Social media continues to influence consumers especially younger ones.
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