1. 14‘ WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2010, DELHI www.livemint.com
Auto mint
NEED FOR SPEED
Even as the global auto industry struggled in the wake of the economic slump, it bounced back in India, with passenger car
sales rising a sharp 40% from December 2008 to December 2009, a trend that has continued since then. Alongside this, the
decisions of car buyers in India have been increasingly influenced by the Internet.
As a report by digital marketing agency webchutney makes clear, Internet usage is no longer limited to the urban Indian any
more. The medium is fast overtaking traditional media such as television and newspapers, at least when it comes to consum-
ers choosing their set of wheels, mainly because the Web offers a consumer-to-consumer model compared with the older the
marketeer-to-consumer template. Add to that the power of unlimited comparisons and user feedback.
Experience in Internet usage of car owners Type of car experience shared online
Positive experience
Using
Internet for
Negative
34%
one-five years
experience 54%
Using 61% 38%
Internet 8%
for more
than five 5% Using Not shared an experience
years Internet for
past one year
Various online channels used to share
car experiences
Car owners who use Internet
Social
(25-39 years) (Above 40 years) 11% platforms
Don’t intend to Others 36%
purchase another car 27%
16% 26%
Company
22% Consumer website
review websites
84%
Intend to 78%
purchase Type of pre-purchase experience
another car
shared online by potential car buyers
61% Positive
Vehicle ownership: online Indians experience
versus rest of India
Internet users National-level ownership
Negative
Car owners experience
10% 6%
33%
2% Not shared
an experience
Two-wheeler owners
51%
Preferred source of information for potential car buyers
31% Online channels used by potential car buyers
Internet 72%
to share experiences (pre-purchase)
Social platforms
Annual household income of online
potential car buyers Company website 27%
41%
More than R12 lakh 6%
R9.6-12 lakh 7% 53% Friends and family Others
9%
24%
R4.8-9.6 lakh 16% Consumer review
websites
R3-4.8 lakh 22%
N EWS Type of post-purchase experience
Auto
R1.5-3 lakh 30%
R0.75-1.5 lakh 13%
Magazines/Newspapers/Brochures 52% shared online by car buyers
Positive
Less than R0.75 lakh 5% experience
DEALER Not shared
56% 37% an experience
Likelihood of car purchase among
online potential car buyers 44% Dealers 7%
Negative
experience
18-24 After 24 months
months
12% Online channels used by car owners to
Television
15% share experiences (post-purchase)
12-18 25%
Within 26% Social platforms
months 20% six months
Company website
26%
38%
29% 6-12
months 1% Don’t know Consumer review
websites
28%
Graphic by: Uttam Sharma/Mint; Source: webchutney Others 9%
Reliance of potential car owners:
online versus offline
Source of information consulted for various vehicular attributes
Internet Newspapers Consumer magazines Friends and relatives Dealers TV
Company websites/
catalogues 81%
3% 3% 2% 4% 1% 2%
8% 7% 7% 9% 8%
Online consumer 65% 2% 18% 10% 19%
10% 17% 30%
review websites 17%
26% 33%
17%
Social 13% 24% 31% 33%
61% 19% 32%
networking sites 13% 19% 12%
16% 8%
12% 12% 14% 7% 7%
Family/friends/ 12% 14%
relatives 79% 6% 13% 11%
49% 40%
38% 45% 30% 29% 29%
Auto magazines 30% 29%
and TV shows 77%
Salesmen at Fuel efficiency Safety features Performance of Vehicle Brand image of Running costs Driving appeal Insurance Resale value
dealer outlets 44% the vehicle specifications company premium