Used car buyers are taking more time to research before committing to purchase, according to new research by MotoNovo Finance.
According to phone interviews with 600 customers over the last 18 months, consumers have become more cautious with 36% taking up to a month to make a final decision.
In terms of identifying their ideal used vehicle, Auto Trader dominates initial web searches. However, it is the click through to a dealer’s website and the experience once there, that shapes the customer’s decision to visit a showroom.
When a physical visit does take place, the customer’s propensity to purchase is high.
Karl Werner, MotoNovo’s head of sales & marketing, said: “Customers want to be better informed about their used car purchase. Dealers need to develop the personalised, interactive buying experience that customers want.
“Our research supports work undertaken by Capgemini that suggests that today’s demanding customers will not go to a dealer’s showroom if the digital experience is poor.”
Werner believes a dealer’s website has the capacity to paint a compelling picture beyond price and vehicle data.
Buyers want the digital experience to be informative, interactive, and entertaining with detailed vehicle data, quality imagery, access to finance, as well as information about the dealership, its support services and its ethos.
JSteff - 27/08/2013 03:36
This also leads to the importance of written comments on every vehicle. Canned generic comments do no cut it. Tank a second to really talk about the vehicle. That is what the consumer wants to see, not just how big the engine is but what that will mean to them. Yes that is the first chance to actually sell the vehicle.