Changing consumer expectations mean dealerships need to ditch traditional car-selling methods in favour of a hybrid online/offline method.
But that doesn’t mean car buyers want to do away with in-person interactions altogether. According to consulting firm Deloitte’s 2021 Global Automotive Consumer Study, 79 per cent of Australians would prefer to purchase their next vehicle at a dealership (second only to Japan, which registered 80 per cent)1.
Car buyers want the convenience of conducting research online. But they still want to validate that information by speaking with a subject matter expert, not to mention experiencing the sight, smell and touch of the vehicle they’re interested in.
When asked what brings them to visit a dealership, 83 per cent of Australians surveyed stated that they wanted to see the vehicle before buying it, while 68 per cent said they wanted to take it for a test drive1.