Car buyers’ use of the Internet as a research tool puts the auto industry’s own spin on the multi-channel concept of “shop online, pick it up in the store,” according to a new report by Jupiter Research, “U.S. Automotive Forecast, 2004 to 2009.” Though only 0.5% of all new car sales in the U.S. were transacted online last year, the web plays a larger role in triggering a purchase process which generally ends in dealer showrooms. Consumers use web research to help them decide on brand–make and model–but not a particular place to buy, Jupiter says.
Approximately 65% to 69% of those shopping for a new car do some research online before buying offline, Jupiter found. About half of all new car buyers were undecided on the make and model of car they preferred when starting their online research last year, and of that number, 35% found the Internet ultimately influenced their choice, according to Jupiter. Internet-generated new car sales–defined as car sales in which the consumer went online to research, sent a referral request, and then completed the transaction either online or offline–were estimated at 3.5 million last year, and are expected to reach 6.1 million by 2009, Jupiter predicts.
However, the selection of a make and model online doesn’t necessarily drive consumers into one particular dealership over another. The majority of new car buyers are undecided on a dealer when they start their online research, but the Internet influences the dealer decision in only 22% of new car researchers, Jupiter found. 65% of new car buyers prefer to check out dealerships in person for pricing information
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