The New Way to Buy Cars Is Online: Here’s How to Put Your Customer in the Driver’s Seat

Car buying means something different to today’s consumers. For some, there’s a renewed comfort in owning a car. People are choosing their vehicles for everything from road trips to work commutes, especially as they prioritize safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Others are shifting to alternative modes of transportation. They’re making an environmental and economical decision to use car-sharing services when they need to travel.

The car-buying process is different, too. Remember the days of visiting multiple dealerships to figure out your options? Fifty percent of car buyers now begin their journey online. They’re spending hours researching and absorbing content. Consider the 39% year-on-year increase in automotive watch time on YouTube in May 2020.

As car-buying behaviors and preferences continue to change, digital experiences matter more than ever. And while digital will never replace the experience of going to the dealer to get a feel for the car, it serves as a way to augment the process and create lifelong loyalty. Let’s look at the ways every automotive company can adapt to these changes and create omni-channel car-buying experiences that unlock growth.