CAR BUYER JOURNEY 2018

CAR BUYER

JOURNEY

2018

SHOPPERS ARE SPENDING LESS TIME IN-MARKET

Shoppers are spending a total of four fewer days in market for a car than last year. The biggest decrease is among Used buyers, as 2 in 3 state they need, rather than want, a new vehicle.

TOTAL DAYS SPENT IN MARKET

2018

108

Total Buyers

109

New Buyers

108

Used Buyers

2017

112

Total Buyers

104

New Buyers

115

Used Buyers

2018

SHOPPING DRIVEN BY NEED VS. WANT

WANT A NEW VEHICLE

39%

Total Buyers

46%

New Buyers

36%

Used Buyers

2018

NEED A NEW VEHICLE

61%

Total Buyers

54%

New Buyers

64%

Used Buyers

2017

45%

Total Buyers

53%

New Buyers

42%

Used Buyers

2017

55%

Total Buyers

47%

New Buyers

58%

Used Buyers

2016

44%

Total Buyers

51%

New Buyers

41%

Used Buyers

2016

56%

Total Buyers

49%

New Buyers

59%

Used Buyers

MOST CAR BUYERS ARE UNDECIDED AT THE START OF THE SHOPPING PROCESS, BUT MANY REPEAT PREVIOUS DECISIONS.

Only 1 in 3 car buyers know the exact vehicle they want to purchase when they start shopping. Many buyers are open to both New and Used vehicles. It's also helpful for dealers to understand the role previous decisions can play. Among those who make a purchase, few are first-time buyers, and more than half have previously owned the same make.

While car shoppers can be influenced about what to buy and who to buy from, the time to influence and convert them is online, where they spend the majority of their shopping time making decisions.

INITIAL MAKE/MODEL PURCHASE INTENT

Total Buyers

New Buyers

32%

39% 29%

Used Buyers

KNEW EXACT VEHICLE

40%

of New car buyers considered both New & Used vehicles

REPEAT PURCHASE OR LEASE

55%

of Used car buyers considered both New & Used vehicles

BRAND LOYALTY*

92%

of those purchasing have previously purchased a vehicle

70%

of those leasing have previously leased a vehicle

*Among those who have previously purchased a vehicle

56%

have previously owned the same make

BUYERS WANT TO KNOW THE TOTAL PRICE OF THE VEHICLE

While 53% of car buyers look for monthly payment information while researching a vehicle, 47% of buyers said that the total price of the vehicle is more important than the monthly payment. In general, lessees, females, younger age groups (particularly younger females), consumers with lower-incomes and those with children are among those more interested in a monthly price. That said, more than one-third of buyers feel the total and monthly price are equally important, highlighting the need for dealers to provide both options in their online merchandising.

VEHICLE PRICING PREFERENCE

47%

35%

18%

Total price of vehicle

Total price and monthly payment

important

Monthly payment

CAR BUYERS SPEND 60% OF THEIR TIME ONLINE

(among those who shopped online)

TIME SPENT SHOPPING/BUYING A VEHICLE

ALL BUYERS

14:29 HOURS

13%

TOTAL TIME SPENT

NEW BUYERS

12:31 HOURS

13%

USED BUYERS

15:20 HOURS

13%

61%

21%

55%

26% 63%

3% 2% Researching & Shopping Online

Talking with Others

3% 3%

With the Dealerships/ Seller where Purchased

Researching & Shopping with Print

Visiting Other Dealerships/Sellers

20% 1% 3%

THIRD-PARTY SITES ARE THE MOST-USED SITES FOR ONLINE CAR SHOPPING

While car buyers use a variety of sites to shop, third-party sites are the most-used site of any online resource.

SOURCES USED TO SHOP*

3rd Party Sites

78%

67%

82%

Dealership

53%

56%

52%

OEM Sites

29%

44%

23%

Total New Used

*Respondents were asked, "Please select the names of the specific website(s)/apps that you used." Some selected more than one answer.

TIME SPENT ON VARIOUS SITES

ALL BUYERS

NEW

USED

5% 42%

13%

5% 15% 69%

3% 12%

62%

5%

8 %

20%

11%

12%

18%

3rd Party Sites

Dealership Sites

OEM Sites

Search

Other

While car buyers are using fewer websites (4.7 in 2018 down from 5.5 in 2017) during the shopping process than in prior years, the perceived helpfulness of each website category has not changed. Buyers continue to spend most of their time shopping on third-party sites. Dealer sites and search engines complement each other during the shopping process, and automotive marketers need to have a broad yet integrated marketing strategy, including a strong presence in the online inventory marketplace, to effectively reach and influence shoppers wherever they are shopping online.

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