MOTOR groups are being urged to enhance their websites to enable customers to buy online.
According to new research by leading used car website Trusted Dealers, many buyers are now prepared to make an internet-based transaction if backed by the reassurance of a franchised dealer. After surveying 1,000 motorists on their car-buying habits, Trusted Dealers found that nearly 50 per cent of people would be prepared to complete the purchasing process on the internet, with a third only willing to do so via a main dealer.
An additional 20 per cent said they were willing to put a deposit down to secure a car they’d seen online.
Customers are increasingly relying on the internet during the buying process. Nearly 70 per cent (68.1 per cent) of buyers do online research for the car they wish to buy.
Furthermore, almost 30 per cent of buyers use the internet for dealer reviews, while 52 per cent look for car reviews. More than half of buyers use the web to discover what price they should be paying and 31.7 per cent to locate a specific car.
Trusted Dealers is encouraging dealers to take advantage of this changing trend by ensuring they make the most of their online presence through websites, listings and reviews.
Neil Addley, the firm’s managing director, said: ‘Dealers should be ensuring their online presence is capitalising on this [increase] by offering premium information, reassurance on classified websites and customer reviews.
‘At Trusted Dealers, we guarantee consumers peace of mind by offering 10 Points of Difference, with every vehicle undertaking theft and write-off checks, mileage verification and meticulous pre-delivery inspections. All of these safeguards are designed to ensure that buyers are protected when purchasing online.’
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