Car buyers are more willing to buy online

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In March 2020, nearly 1 in 10 U.S. car buyers said they made their purchase online. That may not seem like much in a world where consumers buy everything else online, from big-screen TVs to mattresses, but in 2018, just 1% of U.S. car buyers said they bought their car online.

The fact is, until recently, while Americans did a lot of research online before purchasing a vehicle, the purchase typically took place at a car dealership.

But then COVID-19 hit, causing thousands of dealers to close their showrooms and forcing an automotive digital transformation in which even the final deal is closed online.


Then came COVID-19, causing thousands of investors mailing address list dealers to close their showrooms and forcing an automotive digital transformation where even the final deal is closed online.


If other industries are any guide, this is more than a passing trend. People are likely to continue buying cars online even now that showrooms are reopening.

But to make the most of this new opportunity, especially at a time when more people are interested in buying cars, automotive marketers must offer a frictionless online retail experience.


The effect of COVID-19 on car buying trends

Car buyers are no strangers to online research. Even with COVID-19 temporarily shutting down businesses and causing mass unemployment, people were still looking to buy rather than just browse.

Searches for “car sales” have grown globally by more than 60% year-over-year, and searches for “best cheap car” have increased globally by more than 80% year-over-year. And as distancing rules continue, 64% of new car buyers said they would look for even more information online.

A blue magnifying glass hovers over a line drawing of a car. Text reads: 60% increase in searches for car sales globally year over year. Then came COVID-19, causing thousands of dealers to close their showrooms and forcing an automotive digital transformation where even the final deal is closed online.

If other industries are any guide, this is more than a passing trend. People are likely to continue buying cars online even now that showrooms are reopening.

But to make the most of this new opportunity, especially at a time when more people are interested in buying cars, automotive marketers must offer a frictionless online retail experience.


The effect of COVID-19 on car buying trends

Car buyers are no strangers to online research. Even with COVID-19 temporarily shutting down businesses and causing mass unemployment, people were still looking to buy rather than just browse.

Searches for “car sales” have grown globally by more than 60% year-over-year, and searches for “best cheap car” have increased globally by more than 80% year-over-year. And as distancing measures continue, 64% of new car buyers said they would look for even more information online.


Bringing the dealership experience home

The showroom floor will still play a big role, but people are looking to do more things online or at home before arriving in person. Because they do so much research online now, the average car buyer only makes 1.5 visits to the dealership these days.

But when it comes time to buy the car, they still spend an average of 2 hours and 46 minutes at the dealership, according to a Cox Automotive study. Most of that time is spent filling out paperwork and financing. And the more time they spend, the report found, the more satisfaction declines.