J.D. Power And Associates: Tablets And Smartphones Used By One In Five Digital Auto Buyers

Influenced by the phenomenal growth of mobile devices to access the Internet, tablets and smartphones are being used by one in five new-vehicle buyers who use the Internet in the automotive shopping process, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 New Autoshopper Study released in early-October.

Overall, 79 percent of new-vehicle buyers use the Internet (also referred to as Automotive Internet Users, or AIUs) to research their vehicle purchase. While nearly all (ninety-nine percent) AIUs use a desktop/laptop computer at some point in their shopping process, nearly thirty percent use multiple devices, including desktops, smartphones, and/or tablets. The study finds that twenty percent of AIUs use a smartphone to gather information while shopping for a new vehicle, and eighteen percent use a tablet.

The majority of shopping among AIUs still occurs at home. However, tablets are not as mobile as they may seem. Most AIUs who use a tablet for shopping do so at home, while those who use a smartphone are more likely than tablet users to do so outside of the home, as smartphones are always within reach. Among AIUs who use a smartphone, 59 percent do so at the dealership, accessing vehicle pricing, model and inventory information, as well as comparing vehicles.

The study finds that buyers go online nearly as soon as they decide to buy a new vehicle, and 59 percent of AIUs narrow their consideration list to one model during the final week before the actual purchase. With such a high volume of buyers deciding on the model of purchase so close to the actual time of the sale, the digital experience and dealer interaction are more important than ever.

The vast majority (ninety-eight percent) of AIUs visit manufacturer websites during their shopping process, followed by third-party websites (eighty-one percent); dealer websites (seventy-three percent); and social media sites (five percent). AIUs rely heavily on manufacturer websites for researching specific models and utilizing build tools, while they more frequently rely on third-party sites for comparing vehicles; reading vehicle ratings and reviews; and learning about vehicle trade-in values. AIUs use dealer sites primarily for inventory and dealer-specific information, such as directions/location, hours, and contact information.

NAFA Fleet Management Association
125 Village Blvd., Suite 200
Princeton, NJ 08540

Telephone: 609.720.0882 Fax: 609.452.8004