A recent study of buyer behaviour conducted by online classifieds giant eBay has revealed that technology is causing consumers to research and purchase cars online more than ever before and is shifting the automotive purchase journey.
The survey reveals that a majority of consumers (63%) are extremely likely/ likely to purchase a car online in the future. Additionally, twice as many men as women have purchased cars online citing reasons such as convenience, low prices, variety and having access to more options.
The survey results also showed that when it comes to features, both men and women care the most about price, reliability and safety.
According to the survey, 87% of respondents are using the internet to research a vehicle prior to purchase, including reviewing price comparisons, ratings and current reviews. In addition to this, 71% of respondents who did not purchase their vehicles on eBay Motors bought parts and accessories on eBay in the last six months.2
However, for those who prefer to purchase vehicles in person, female survey respondents say it’s because they want to be able to take a test drive, while male survey respondents want to be able to check out the condition of the car.
“Technology continues to evolve the automotive shopping journey,” said Josh Wetzel, Senior Director of Sales and Marketing at eBay Advertising in a press release.
“Consumers are already executing pre-purchase activities related to online research with increased interest in online automotive experiences. As more consumers continue to embrace automotive ecommerce for vehicles; enhanced experiences and technologies like virtual reality and artificial intelligence will continue to drive a larger shift to online purchasing,” he said.
To read the full results of the study click here
