A-t-we still need car dealers?

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Frédéric Mercier

Friday, march 16, 2018 12:15

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Friday, march 16, 2018 12:15

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In a world where information is at our fingertips and where more and more purchases are made online, the traditional visits to the car dealers have never been so infrequent.

According to a study conducted by BBR Switch and published by Humanize on the platform Medium, a consumer who is looking for a new car was on average 4 visits to dealers before buying there not so long ago. Today, we rather speak of 1.4 visits on average.

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“You need to understand that the consumer is much more advanced in the buying process when it happens in us”, explains Norman John Hébert, vice-president of business development for Groupe Park Avenue, in an interview conducted by BBR Switch.

The accessibility of the information online so that consumers start their shopping well in advance of their first visit to a dealership.

According to a study conducted by 9clouds.com 80% of the buying process is already completed when the customer sets foot in a dealership. On his first visit, the potential buyer already knows a lot about the model that you are interested in. Sometimes, it will even more than the seller itself!

Is this what makes the work of dealers obsolete? Not necessarily the same.

“It requires us to act differently and to review our practices,” admits Norman John Hébert. Towards the end of the purchase process, shopping for a financing rate or the question of the rent can be approached and explained it to the dealer. A portion of the purchase that, even if it can theoretically also be done online often requires a more human approach.

“I think that our mandate is much closer to the final decision to purchase that in the part of information,” says Norman John Hébert.