The document summarizes the results of a research study on car purchasing behaviors and preferences. The study analyzed responses from 182 participants across 34 countries. Key findings include:
- Most customers (86%) visited multiple dealerships before purchasing, with over 67% visiting 3 or more. Dissatisfaction with pushy or uninterested salespeople was the top complaint.
- When choosing new cars, customers valued quality and reliability guarantees above all. For used cars, lower costs were the primary motivation compared to maintenance and insurance expenses.
- Official test drives and brand websites were highly trusted sources of information, more so than customer reviews. Advertising most emphasized comfort, safety, and quality to influence brand awareness.
1. Research questions:
ü How many dealerships will customers visit
before taking a decision to buy the car?
ü Which stage of the choosing process
customers consider the most important?
ü What disappoints the respondents in the
dealerships?
ü The role of the salesperson in sales
process?
ü The main reasons to buy brand-new cars?
ü Why people buying used cars?
ü What respondents relying their choice on
while choosing brand-new and used cars?
ü How important is it to answer customers
emails/calls?
ü Who is reading magazines with the test-
drive results and how trustable are they?
ü Can customers rely on other customers
reviews?
ü Cars advertisement, is it works?
Number of the respondents:
182 respondents took part in the poll
Date:
July 2020
Geography:
34 countries
Goals of the research:
• Determine the attitude and
reasons of purchase
• Analyze the brand awareness of
the top line within the industry
RESEARCH PARAMETERS
2. Have never
worked in auto
industry
88%
Are car owners,
and additional 5%
are planning to
buy one
91%
Have more than 1
car in their
household
60%
The current car is
not their first one
For 76%
PARTICIPANTS’ DEMOGRAPHY
182 participants
51% males and 49% women took part with the average age of 39 y. o.
3. DEALERSHIP
of the respondents visited the
dealership at least once86%
35,7%
28,6%
14,3%
7,1%
7,1%
7,1%
The reasons of dissatisfaction with
the dealerships
Salesperson is not
interested in sales
Service in general
Pushy salesperson
Prices
Too long purchase
process
Other
35,5%
25,7%
21,5%
15,5%
1,9%
Test-Drive Cosultation
Sitting inthe car at the
dealership
Reviews on the web
sites Other
The stages which helped to take a decision to buy the car
46%
30%
16%
8%
After consultation the respondent
Ordered with more
options
The same as
planned
No choice for other
options
With less options
36,8%
27,2%
21,9%
14,0%
more than 3
2 dealerships
3 dealerships
1 dealership
How many dealerships
customers visited before
taking a decision?
Of the respondents are not
satisfied with service level
they faced in the dealerships.
67%
4. NEW CARS
always visit website of the car
brand they plan to buy79%30%
26%
22%
12%
9%
1%
The reasons of choosing brand-new
car
Guarantee
Sure in quality
Reliability
Docs
Easy credit
Other
28,2% 26,7%
22,0%
13,7%
6,7%
2,7%
Prices Car photos Auto
configurator
Trim level
descriptions
Feedback form Chat-bot
The most useful website options
48%
38%
14%
New or used car?
prefer to buy used
cars
prefer to buy new
cars
cosider buying both
new and used cars
5. USED CARS
74,0%
15,0%
9,4%
1,6%
The reasons of choosing used car
The cost
Expluatation/
maintenance cost
Insurance cost
Other
28,8%
27,3%
21,7%
13,5%
8,6%
While choosing used car respondent pay
attention to
Technical condition
The age of the car
Mileage of the car
Model of the car
Brand name
Faced difficulties buying or
choosing used cars
17%
20%
14%
14%
13%
12%
12%
11%
4%
The oldest car customers
considering to buy
over 10 years old
3-4 years old
10 years old
5 years old
7 years old
8 years old
6 years old
9 years old
27%
27%
20%
13%
6%
3% 3%
The highest mileage of the
car customers considering to
buy (in 1000 km)
100 - 150
150 - 250
50 - 100
250 - 350
350 - 450
450 - 500
over 500
6. BRAND AWARENESS / ADVERTISEMENT read/watch official test-drive
results before choosing the car
73%
Not trusting both official and
customers reviews for the cars
5%
21,5%
18,2%
16,9%
14,2%
12,0%
10,4%
5,3%
1,6%
Which benefits are the car advertising
Comfort
Safety
Quality
Image
Prestige
Speed
Service
Other
participate in discussions
/forums/social groups
34%
Trust rating of the customers to the test-drive results and reviews
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Official test-drive results
Customers reviews
*where 10 – absolutely trust and
1 - not trusting at all