According to a survey conducted by Accenture across 8 different countries, 75 percent of car buyers would consider conducting the entire car buying process online.
Accenture has conducted a global survey across eight countries including Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan and the United States of 10,000 car owners, to know what a customer seeks in a digital aspect before and after buying a new car. The survey called ‘What Digital Driver Wants’ comes up with the conclusion that nowadays most of the customers are doing research online to come to a car buying decision and an average buyer carries out most of the research before visiting a dealership.
The survey found that 80 percent of drivers who are looking to buy new vehicles use some form of digital technology to research about their buying preferences. Almost two-thirds (62 percent) of car buyers are starting the purchasing process online, which includes consulting various social media websites. Additionally, three-quarters (75 percent) of the survey respondents said that if given the opportunity, they would consider making their entire car buying process online, including all processes such as price negotiation, financing, back office paperwork and home delivery of the new vehicle as well.
69 percent of people have said that they have either bought a car online or would consider doing so. The study also reveals that consumers are open to using new and emerging online ways for purchases. For example, 63 percent of respondents said that they would be interested in buying a new car through an online auction.
Coming to findings specific for India, 84 percent of Indians believe that they would go through the entire process of purchasing a car online itself. More than half (53 percent) of the surveyors said that drivers in India are most influenced by automotive websites and online automobile publications. 82 percent drivers are interested in online financing negotiation in the car buying process and 69 percent said that services like free oil changes/maintenance options would influence their ultimate choice of buying/leasing a new car.
With respect to dealership visits, 53 percent of buyers said that they would be interested to access an interactive touch display that provides details and information on the respective car models during a visit to a showroom and 48 percent would like to be able to take a virtual test drive at the dealership.
