10:51 am, May 12, 2020
New and exclusive research by What Car? points to a busy June for dealers with showrooms poised to reopen on the first day of the month.
As reported yesterday (May 11) by Car Dealer, dealerships are likely to be treated as part of a first wave of shops allowed to reopen from June 1 – if they can prove they can keep staff and customers safe.
And now, according to a What Car? survey, nearly one-in-five in-market buyers are looking to buy after the lockdown lifts.
A poll of 4,411 in-market buyers revealed that 18.39 per cent of buyers intended to buy a new vehicle as soon as the Covid-19 crisis ends, while 5.56 per cent are looking to buy within the next four weeks.
The announcement by the government came after the SMMT recorded a 97.3 per cent drop in new car registrations in April – just 4,321 vehicles were registered, making it the worst month on record since 1946.
Rachael Prasher, managing director of What Car?, said: ‘We know from our weekly online audience surveys that nearly one in five car buyers are preparing to purchase a new car when showrooms reopen. That pent-up demand is great news for under-pressure retailers and manufacturers.
‘However, with the allowable date for dealership premises reopening pushed further back than many businesses were hoping for, it is also increasingly critical that retailers and OEMs ensure that they are responding to and nurturing inquiries now.
‘With the risks of Covid-19 still strong, many car buyers want to conduct their discussions with retailers online. That is where What Car?’s New Car Buying Marketplace can help, as it directly links our in-market readership with retailers online.’
More: June 1 date for car dealerships to reopen
More: Official – New car sales down 97.3 per cent in April
More: Have we begun to turn a corner, asks What Car?
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