Volvo has announced that it will be changing it’s marketing strategy to increasingly introduce selling cars online and focusing more on digital advertising. The automaker is hoping this will increase sales and promotion, while capitalizing on the fact that about 80% of it’s customers already shop for products online. Will this trend eventually translate to buying cars online? A majority of millennials already do extensive research online before buying a car, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that marketers are predicting a rise in online car sales. Current research shows that car buyers are visiting fewer and fewer dealerships, opting to search for the vehicle online and only visiting the dealer to purchase.
While some dealers are skeptical about the future of online car sales, Volvo has assured that any sales made online would still go through dealerships.
GMC introduced it’s Shop, Click, Drive program about a year ago. The program allows buyers to select their car and either pick it up at the dealership or have it delivered to their location of choice. Unsurprisingly, most people chose to visit the dealership.
As it is, most online car shoppers choose their make, model, and specs and are directed to a dealer to finalize the sale, with a price often already decided on.
As convenient as online auto shopping may sound, you still may not be getting the best deal. Dealers may continue to entice auto shoppers to visit the brick-and-mortar location with special price drops or extras that weren’t available online.
The future of online car sales is undoubtedly worth a second thought – and we’re curious to see how dealerships evolve.