If recent headlines about soaring internet-only car sales have given you sleepless nights then we have some calming news for you. A new YouGov survey commissioned by The Motor Ombudsman can reassure whole swathes of people working in car dealerships up and down the country that, despite the threat of growing online sales, purchasing from showrooms is still very much where it’s at for most car buyers.
Almost two thirds (62%) of UK drivers polled said they would prefer to visit a retailer in person this year to buy a new or used car, rather than completing the entire purchase online. Their concerns about buying straight from the web are centred around the need to properly test drive a car and not wishing to rely on other people’s reviews.
People want to see, touch and smell the car. They want to check it out. They also want to negotiate with a real person.
Only a third of those surveyed said that a completely virtual car-buying experience might tempt them this year.
YouGov questioned 1,873 UK drivers for The Motor Ombudsman and concluded that, overall, the majority of drivers aren’t ready to abandon the dealership.
This is heartening news for the entire UK car retail sector. Except for those online newbies. But here at NTK Motors we reckon this isn’t the end of the story. We’ll keep you up to speed with developments.