International News
Australian Market Report
Q3
Car shoppers feeling web-to-showroom disconnect
A
s digitisation increases,
automakers and dealers can
no longer afford to ignore full
integration of their operations. They
must work together more closely
than ever to create a truly seamless,
multichannel experience to satisfy
customers,” Schmidt continued.
In terms of offline improvements,
the survey found that in addition
to wanting expert product advice,
many respondents would like
staff to be available to answer
additional questions and provide
recommendations regarding their
purchase throughout the buying
process — not just in person.
”
Accenture made a distinction
between consumers who shop
online frequently (“Digital
Natives”) and those who are more
conservative online users (“Digital
Laggards”). The report found that
Natives visit the dealer more often
than Laggards: 60 per cent of them
stop at their dealership more than
twice before buying a car, while
only 47 per cent of latter do so.
Natives may need less time at the
dealer because they have made
their buying decision online. This
emphasises how the showroom’s
role is being redefined as the
place to finalise the purchase of
a car, rather than the traditional
starting point.
The survey also showed that nearly
all car-buying decisions are made
online, and many customers do not
believe that in-person interaction
is necessary at each stage of the
transaction.
Survey respondents also indicated
there is room for improvement
in digital channels as well as
showrooms.
Survey
respondents also
indicated there
is room for
improvement
in digital
channels as well
as showrooms.
“There are clear opportunities
for the industry to improve
interaction with customers using
new technologies like cloudbased customer relationship
management, business-insights
software and virtual- and
augmented-reality technologies.”
Nearly half (43 per cent) would
consider purchasing a new vehicle
online if prices were lower than
those at the dealership. This is true
for half of the Laggards, who said
they would buy new vehicles
online if prices were cheaper.
“That’s likely to be challenging,
but it will be rewarding for those
who are able to create strong
multi-channel integration.”
They are also interested in
advanced product configurators,
online chat consultation and
enhanced reality-based
experiences.
“Automakers and dealers have
almost everything they need to
make the online-offline experience
more compelling, but what
they need to do is to bring it all
together and make it work,”
said Schmidt.
Buying preferences vary
by country
A
ccenture found notable
differences in where
consumers wish to buy
their cars. For example, interest in
buying from an online store was
highest among U.S. buyers at 19
per cent, versus 15 per cent of
Chinese buyers and 10 per cent of
German buyers. Other findings:
• Chinese consumers showed the
strongest preference for flagship
stores, with 37 per cent saying
they would buy their next
car at such an outlet, and 28
per cent preferred picking up
their new car from their dealer.
• Prospective buyers in Germany
showed the strongest interest
in buying a car at a standard
dealership, with nearly half
(46 per cent) citing such a
preference as their vehicle
purchase location. Sixty-one
per cent also preferred picking
up their car from the dealer.
Twenty per cent were open
to auto retail outlets featuring
advanced technologies, such as
virtual reality experiences.
• Only 14 per cent of U.S.
respondents would prefer to
purchase a vehicle from a
flagship outlet. Thirty-five
per cent still prefer buying from
a standard dealership.
“Despite these market differences,
it is clear that automotive retail
business models throughout the
global market need to undergo a
dramatic transformation to fully
benefit from the multi-channel
customer and fend off new market
entrants, whose platform business
models have already disrupted
the second-hand car market,”
said Schmidt.
Accenture carried out an online
survey of approximately 3,000
consumers in China, Germany
and the U.S. The survey
participants are a representative
number of private car buyers in
each market who had purchased
a new car in the past five years.
Global Percentage interest in buying from an online store
While Accenture found that many
buyers do not believe face-to-face
interaction is necessary at every
stage of the process, some parts
of the process, i.e. clear-cut
trade-in value and deal structure,
can be difficult without it.
Source: http://www.autoremarketing.com/trends/car-shoppers-feeling-web-showroom-disconnect?utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=http%3a%2f%2fwww.autoremarketing.com%2ftrends%2fcar-shoppers-feeling-web-showroom-disconnect&utm_campaign=Why+Online+Shoppers+Feel+Disconnected+in+Showroom
5