THE AUTO INDUSTRY IS REVVED UP AND READY FOR ANYTHING.

DEALERS AND AUTO-BUYING CONSUMERS AGREE: THE AUTO INDUSTRY HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE.

The Harris Poll survey showed that Dealers (95%) and auto-buying Consumers (79%) believe the automotive industry can keep up with the changing needs of the future. On a personal level, Dealers are even more bullish: 96% are confident in the OEM they represent and 99% are confident in their own dealership.

When asked about the biggest drivers of change in the auto industry’s future, Dealers and auto-buying Consumers agree: tech companies and electric vehicles.

FOR OEMS AND DEALERS, TRUST COMES STANDARD.

DID YOU KNOW OEMS AND DEALERS ARE TRUSTED SOURCES AND PARTNERS IN THE AUTO-BUYING PROCESS?

In fact, the Harris Poll survey showed 84% of auto-buying Consumers trust the information that comes from an automaker and 81% trust what they receive from an OEM dealership.

We also discovered the top ways shoppers prefer to learn about a brand or vehicle of interest:

• 42% – In-person at the dealership
• 37% – Through a brand website or app

Beyond receiving information, auto-buying Consumers view Dealers as partners. 72% say dealership salespeople have the expertise necessary to help them navigate the vehicle-buying process.

DEALER VISITS UP – ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNGER NEW VEHICLE BUYERS.

AUTO-BUYING CONSUMERS ARE VISITING SHOWROOMS MORE AND ARE LESS BRAND LOYAL THAN YOU MAY THINK.

There is a lot of noise that younger generations steer clear of dealerships, seeking a totally online car-buying experience. The Harris Poll survey indicated otherwise.

On average, auto-buying Consumers visit 2.5 dealerships when shopping for a new vehicle. And Gen Z and Young Millennials, ages 18-29, say they visit even more – an average of 3.5 dealerships – when in the market for a new car or truck.

The study also indicated that customer loyalty is low with 69% of auto-buying Consumers considering more than one brand. In fact, the average auto-buying Consumer considers 2.6 brands. And again, when shopping for a new vehicle, Gen Z and Young Millennials consider even more – 3.8 brands.

THE DEALERSHIP IS STILL A BIG DEAL.

A GREAT PRICE IS ESSENTIAL – SO IS EVERYTHING ELSE.

PRICE IS KEY TO GETTING AUTO-BUYING CONSUMERS TO THE DEALERSHIP – BUT THERE’S MORE TO CONSIDER.
According to the Harris Poll survey, a strong majority of auto-buying Consumers cite 5 Top Factors when selecting a dealership:

• Price (84%)
• Quality of the service team (75%)
• Low-pressure sales approach (72%)
• Staff expertise (72%)
• Past experience with dealership (65%)

Other close runners to these “Top Five” factors?
When choosing a dealership, 64% of auto-buying Consumers said large inventory and 63% said online reviews are very important/absolutely essential.