Research from iVendi has shown that used car buyers conduct the most searches between 7pm and 9pm on a Sunday.

The analysis of traffic through the iVendi platform shows that using all major web metrics for dealers and portals, this was the time that consumers showed most interest in researching, buying and financing used cars online.

IVendi’s chief executive, James Tew (pictured), said: “The significance of this, of course, is that most consumer activity is happening at a time when every dealer and finance provider in the country is closed.

“It overwhelmingly illustrates the need for dealers to provide a complete online motor retail experience through their web sites in order to enable potential customers to buy and finance vehicles online at any time.

“The fact is that, in 2018, consumers of all ages expect to be able to buy the products and services they desire at any time but large sections of the motor industry are lagging behind this trend.”

Tew feels that there is a large spread of opinion amongst dealers about providing a complete online journey, but that evidence is now overwhelming.  

“We still come across dealers who resist this kind of change. They tell us that buying a used car is not the same as ordering your groceries from Tesco, a book from Amazon or a pair of jeans from Next.

“But the fact is that we work with dealers – from relatively small independents through to major dealer groups – who make sales every day on that kind of basis. And not just to millennials but to buyers through well into retirement.

“The underlying message is simple. People often want to buy car or at least start the process when your dealership is closed.

"If you don’t provide them with the tools to make a purchase when they want to buy, then a prime opportunity to close the deal is being missed.”