9:19 am, February 26, 2024
Haggling over the price of a car is what customers most hate about the buying process.
That’s according to Motors’ latest Digital Touchpoints survey, which asked 3,000 in-market buyers looking online for used and new cars about the top pain points.
Price negotiations came top, with 43% finding the process difficult. Making sense of pricing was a worry for a quarter of them, while 23% said understanding and arranging finance made them uncomfortable.
Other sticking points were finding the right car for specific needs (25%), reviewing the condition of cars (24%) and making a shortlist of cars to consider (21%).
The research also revealed how new car buyers are more comfortable in the buying process.
Although negotiating the price was still the biggest worry, it was only seen as difficult by 28% of new car buyers, versus 48% of used car buyers.
Similarly, understanding pricing was more of an issue for used buyers (28%) than those buying new (16%).
Motors marketing director Lucy Tugby said: ‘As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, purchasing a car can be an even more challenging experience for buyers, particularly those buying used.
‘The research reveals just how uncomfortable the buying process can be for many buyers, especially when it comes to price negotiations and understanding what price to pay.
‘Addressing and overcoming these pain points can only be achieved through transparency and having processes in place to ensure customers are treated respectfully and fairly all the time and every time.
‘The best-performing franchised and independent dealers and car supermarkets recognise this and go the extra mile to put customers at ease and are rewarded by repeat business and recommendations.’
