Car Buyers Boost Reliance on Online Research
About 67% of car buyers visited only one to two dealerships before purchasing a vehicle, revealing that auto shoppers are relying more on online research and digital tools to make buying decisions, according to the latest Netsertive survey.
The 2017 Netsertive Automotive Path to Purchase Survey, which was released yesterday, was conducted in July and included over 500 respondents, ages 18 to 65.
“Upon starting the path to make a car purchase, 34% of respondents were unsure of which brand to buy and which dealership to purchase from and relied on digital channels to inform them,” according to the survey. Nearly half of respondents said they considered three different models during their research process.
To that end, 46% of respondents said they utilize customer reviews as an online source for research prior to purchase, 45% used search engines, and 44% used local dealer websites. Additionally, car buyers are adopting a multi-device approach when it comes to online research — 71% use computers, 48% used mobile devices, and 36% use tablets.
