For 26 percent of the respondents, the dealer still counts as the most trusted channel for their purchase decisions. And nearly two-thirds of all buyers have already decided on brand, model and price before visiting a dealership. Another 30 percent of car buyers rely on online product reviews. Of the respondents, 44 percent follow recommendations from their friends, family and colleagues on their purchase decisions. Test drives are also an important benefit of physical dealerships: most buyers said they would not buy a car without driving it.īut when it comes to gathering information, the situation is quite different. The Bain study also shows that the dealers generally score higher ratings for the configuration process versus auto websites or carmakers’ apps. Most buyers still prefer to complete complex tasks, such as the vehicle’s final configuration, in person at the dealership. Car buyers visit physical dealerships an average of 2.4 times throughout the buying experience. Major significance of personal recommendationsĪuto dealers will continue to play an important role for most car sales. Bain estimates that up to a fifth of these costs can be cut with an integrated, seam¬less model. "Enabling customers to seamlessly interact between digital and traditional channels requires enormous investments in omnichannel concepts."Īutomakers that adapt well may also reduce their sales and marketing costs. Klaus Stricker, co-author of the brief and head of the firm’s global Automotive Practice. “Automakers and dealers must adjust to the changing expectations and needs of the digital natives, whose importance to the broad automobile market continues to grow,” explains Bain partner Dr. These are the findings from the latest Bain & Company brief, The Future of Car Sales Is Omnichannel, which includes results from a survey of more than 5,000 car buyers in Germany, the UK, India, China, and the U.S.
Shift car buying Offline#
All in all, customers typically shift between different online and offline channels at least four times during the purchase episode. The dealer only becomes important again in the end phase for test drives, final configuration and orders. And even nearly two thirds decide on brand, model and price before visiting a dealer for the first time. Nearly half of all car buyers globally start the search for their next new car online.
Munich/Zürich, 14 September 2017- Digitalization is also having radical consequences for car sales.
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