There’s no question that the pandemic has changed a lot of consumers’ shopping habits, especially those who were looking to buy a car. The need to visit several car dealerships to check available models and compare quotes was replaced with a simpler method of online shopping. Once buyers had compared prices and features, they then purchased the vehicle and picked it up from their Kia dealers in Albuquerque, NM. Surprisingly, many preferred this kind of less stressful process.
Here are some things to consider before shopping for a vehicle online during these times.
Everything can be done virtually now – except test drives.
The beauty of today’s digital revolution is that it allows Kia dealers around Rio Rancho to do business as usual without needing the customers to physically step into their offices. Statistics show that car shoppers prefer to conduct price research (71%), find actual cars for sale (68%), do model comparison (64%), and locate a dealer (46%) online.
Research also shows that 54% of car shoppers prefer buying a new vehicle from the comforts of their own home while a whopping 42% are even fine without a test drive.The overall process lowers the risk of contracting the virus and even allows them to ask family and friends about auto options.
Online car shopping takes less time than physically visiting a dealership.
Aside from the obvious fact that online shopping saves you from commuting to Kia dealerships in and around Albuquerque, it also helps you spend less time searching inventories and getting proper quotations from dealers. With just a simple click, you can browse through literally hundreds of vehicles without breaking a sweat. You can even apply filters that can help you streamline your search.
Dealers’ websites have filters based on brand, model, price range, trim levels, and optional accessories available to help car shoppers find what they are looking for. Shoppers can save as much as two hours from buying a new car online compared to when shopping at the dealership.
You need to sift through all the “Best Deals”.
Granted that promos and deals are not new to the car industry, online car shopping takes these deals to a whole new level. There are more unbelievable financing rates and incentives for car shoppers, making it easier for them to purchase the vehicles they want. For example, the average incentives have gone up from $3,773 in June 2019 to $4,121 in June 2020 while the sticker prices dropped to 3.2%. The discounts have also increased by 43.8% during the same period.
It has become easier to walk away from a sale.
Statistics show that the majority of American buyers dislike car shopping at dealerships because of stress and pressure. About 49% of car shoppers feel like they are being tricked into buying unnecessary extra features in car dealerships. Buyers often feel the pressure of making a final decision when the salesman is right in front of them. With online car shopping, it takes the pressure off the buyer. They can easily close the app if they feel like it without feeling remorse or guilt about taking someone’s time.
Online car shopping is still a work in progress.
Survey says that 43% of car shoppers prefer to do the entire transaction online. Despite all the innovations and developments, some car dealerships are not really equipped to handle a digital platform for their sales.
The biggest obstacle is finding the right technology to conduct an entire transaction online. Just imagine: there are over 13,500 car make and models in the market, not to mention the million variations and possible combinations of trim, color, and extra features. Each of these data must be inputted along with the critical elements in a typical car purchase transaction like pricing, incentives, financing and lease payments, taxes, fees, and downpayment among others. Of course, there are also the franchise rules and state regulations to think of.
For this reason, customer experience may be frustrating at times. So an immense amount of patience from both dealer and customer is needed for a car sale to go as smoothly as it possibly can.
Don’t forget to check out Fiesta Kia for more helpful tips.
