SHOPSMART AUTOS – CUSTOMER INFORMATION – FEBRUARY 6, 2021
In the early 1900s, cars forever changed personal transportation. And ever since, auto dealers have sold them the same way—in showrooms staffed by salespeople to consumers who walk in the front door. In 2019, that dynamic is changing. Like apparel merchants, booksellers and even grocery stores, car dealers face consumers who expect the conveniences of shopping online. Eager to attract digital consumers, car dealers say it’s imperative to offer online capabilities that make it easier and less stressful to buy a vehicle. Meanwhile, online used-car sellers are pushing the limits of online car retailing. However, because of the complexity and cost of auto purchases, automotive ecommerce is different from other sectors. Traditional car dealers say getting ecommerce right doesn’t mean becoming the Amazon of cars. It starts with giving consumers as much or as little online capability as they want. “Ninety percent of car buyers still want to see, touch and drive a car before they buy it,” Wiebelhaus says. “Our focus with ecommerce is enabling buyers to do as much pre-sale work as they can—so when they walk into a dealership, they are ready to transact.” He says Suburban Collection’s goal is to provide the tools car buyers need to put together a “virtual offer.” For example, a car buyer will know what features they want, the price of the car, what their monthly payment will be and how much they need to put down to achieve their desired monthly payment. Other dealers take the same approach. Like most car dealers, Penske Automotive Group—the country’s second-largest franchised, new-car auto dealership group and one of six publicly traded auto retailers—does not allow customers to buy vehicles entirely online. But it offers an array of online tools on individual dealerships at PenskeCars.com. The tools allow consumers to research cars, research inventory and locate a Penske dealership that offers what they want to buy. So far, the most potent advantage offered by the technology is its impact on customer satisfaction—particularly in terms of service after the sale, says Tony Pordon, executive vice president of investor relations and corporate business development at Penske. Text messaging, email and smartphone technology make it easy for service personnel to send updates to consumers—and even send them photos showing what kind of repairs are required. Also joining the ecommerce game is CarMax Inc., the nation’s largest dedicated used-car retailer. Since late 2018, CarMax has been rolling out a “new personalized car buying experience” in markets across the country. CarMax’s new buying concept allows consumers to complete the entire car-buying experience from home and have the car delivered. To make that possible, CarMax is in the process of opening three “customer experience centers” to assist customers over the phone or online with shopping, comparing financing options and other questions.Tags: 2019 Subaru Forester Touring, 2020 BMW iX3, 2020 Chevrolet Suburban, 2020 dodge charger, 2020 EQC, 2020 Ford Super Duty, 2020 Honda Pilot, 2020 Kia Optima, 2020 Mercedes Benz, 2020 Nissan Versa, 2020 Subaru WRX STI, Audi SUV, BMW, Brandon K. Hardison, Chevrolet Car, Chevrolet Sonic, Dodge charger, electric vehicles, honda, Honda Pilot, Hyundai SUV, Mercedes Benz, Nissan Rogue, SUV, upcoming car, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Tiguan SEL Premium R-Line, Volvo Car
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