Are you missing out?.........

[jimreidvehicle 255]

This is an interesting poll, who doesn't agree with the findings? 

 

http://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/dealers-missing-out-on-billions-because-a-lot-of-buyers-dont-use-car-sites/111974

[Velicular 10]

This is a great article but as with all statistics and polls there can be a lot of information missing. If we stop to examine where the poll took place would be a good starting point. What was the proportionate demographic ranges within the poll, eg, ages, locations and incomes? All these have a very big impact on the information obtained.

Statistics are like bikinis.  What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.  ~Aaron Levenstein

There is no doubt a huge market of people who do not use the internet to search for cars etc.  To throw a spanner in the works consider this for a moment. How many customers are you losing because you do not present your website in multi language accessibility. Of the three hundred languages spoken in the UK the second most prevalent language to English is Polish. It would be interesting how changing your website to multi language would affect your sales as well on the internet.

Here is a few other reasons I have problems with the article. and I quote:

"UK CAR dealers could be missing out on as much as £14 billion of used car sales through their websites, according to new research which shows nearly one in three adults bought their last car WITHOUT using the internet."

Note the emphasis on WITHOUT that is capitalised. Then the article goes on to say,

" It found that 30 per cent of people who had previously bought a car said they didn’t use traditional car sites such as AutoTrader or Motors.co.uk the last time they made a purchase."

The writer is now saying that the same 1 in 3 adults did not use Auto Trader or Morors.co.uk, not that they did not use the internet. He then goes on to say,

"‘The statistics speak for themselves. A third of people didn’t go online to buy their last car"

So does the article contradict its self? Or are we to take it that the author pertains that unless you use AT or Motors.co.uk you are not searching online? I think there should be some clarification as to these statements.

I know I am been picky but there are a lot of holes in the article. I can see and have found through research that there is a move away from websites like AT etc. Another discussion on this forum is about walk-ins and as many of you  have stated it does make a difference to your business if you are not advertising or promoting your business through other means.

After all we are all some what like magpies and attracted to shiny objects and if something catches your eye while you are passing you are going to look. That is why high street shops spend thousands decorating their windows displays to attract us to walk in.

Non the less its is an article worth reading and there are some interesting points to it.

[Dave Brown 15]

The point I found most interesting – apart from the percentages and various breakdown stats – is that the story suggested that fundamentally, the internet might not be the holy grail and the answer to everything. That in itself would appear to contradict a lot of current thinking. Be interested in more views on this one!

[sparky 274]

1 hour ago, Dave Brown said:

The point I found most interesting – apart from the percentages and various breakdown stats – is that the story suggested that fundamentally, the internet might not be the holy grail and the answer to everything. That in itself would appear to contradict a lot of current thinking. Be interested in more views on this one!

Indeed. When it comes to stats I'm with Mark Twain but there must be something in this to suggest that good old fashioned paper advertising, walk ons and word of mouth etc still have a huge part to play. If that's the case then I think the title is a little misleading but the point is taken.

The stat about Wales does not surprise me. Having North Wales on your patch has always been seen as a poisoned chalice by AT reps. Hopefully my rep for trinity mirror hasn't seen this report as I'm due to be haggling over some classified adverts very soon.

[carsnip_al 1]

Hi

We commissioned the study so hopefully I can help.

 

The sample size was more than 2,000 UK adults, who were polled in March by the independent market research company YouGov. The survey asked them whether they'd used 'classified-ad' type websites like Autotrader or Motors the last time they bought a car. 30% of people said they hadn't used a car search engine at all last time.

 

This really surprised us and we published the results to let dealers know. There are two ways to look at this - one, as Dave Brown said, is that the results show the internet is not the holy grail. I bet if we asked most car dealers they'd agree with Jim and say that most of their customers combine internet research with 'in-person' visits for test drivers. 

 

You mentioned that the piece says 30% of all buyers didn't use the internet when actually they just didn't use Autotrader or Motors or the like. You're absolutely right, it's not all encompassing, but it leads to the second viewpoint; that current car search engines don't effectively serve today's car buyer well enough. They're either too complicated or not intuitive enough to help customers find the right car for them fast enough, so lots of people simply don't use them in the first place. That's what we believe.

 

Hope that helps. Shout if you have any more questions. We will be publishing more findings from the survey over the next couple of months.

 

Best,

 

Alastair

CEO

Carsnip.com

p.s. If you are going to CDX - click here to meet the team.

[Velicular 10]

Thank you Alastair for clearing up some of my concerns.

44 minutes ago, carsnip_al said:

but it leads to the second viewpoint; that current car search engines don't effectively serve today's car buyer well enough. They're either too complicated or not intuitive enough to help customers find the right car for them fast enough, so lots of people simply don't use them in the first place. That's what we believe.

I do agree your statement. A lot of the so called "go to places" have become over complicated and to some extent unusable. As we learn more about databases and rational uses and extracting information from them I think we have forgotten some times more is just too much.

Looking back and it still applies today, if a customer does not find on your website what they want within 30 seconds they will be gone to the next site.

May be we need to all re-evaluate our thoughts about the web and how we use it to interact with customers.

[GreenGiant 287]

If I may add a couple of bobsworth...

I struggled to understand the point of the article when I first read it (other than a bit of free PR for carsnip. And well done to them for that). So, Dealers are missing out on £14billion worth of sales through their websites....

Only they aren't, are they? Because those surveyed did actually buy vehicles. So the sales weren't 'lost'. So how do you work that out? And who buys through a website anyway? Generally, they buy from us. On-site. Face to face. Oh, nearly forgot... And customers lie.

So, like other items I just heard on the news today - bit of a non-story, really innit?

[Phil H 124]

2 hours ago, carsnip_al said:

 

 

The sample size was more than 2,000 UK adults, who were polled in March by the independent market research company YouGov. The survey asked them whether they'd used 'classified-ad' type websites like Autotrader or Motors the last time they bought a car. 30% of people said they hadn't used a car search engine at all last time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do think that local papers and good location do help to build your local presence but one thing I think that may of been overlooked in this survey is the fact that 30% said they hadn't used a search engine at all so the question I'd like answering is where do these 30% look when buying a car or do they not look at all and have seen a boosted advert on facebook and responded to the seed that the dealer has sown?

Al keep up the good work and remember if you look after the dealers they will look after you.

[Tom 164]

4 hours ago, GreenGiant said:

If I may add a couple of bobsworth...

I struggled to understand the point of the article when I first read it (other than a bit of free PR for carsnip. And well done to them for that). So, Dealers are missing out on £14billion worth of sales through their websites....

Only they aren't, are they? Because those surveyed did actually buy vehicles. So the sales weren't 'lost'. So how do you work that out? And who buys through a website anyway? Generally, they buy from us. On-site. Face to face. Oh, nearly forgot... And customers lie.

So, like other items I just heard on the news today - bit of a non-story, really innit?

[carsnip_al 1]

Some fair points being made.

 

What I was trying to get across from the survey data is that for consumers searching for cars (not making actual online purchases) the current portals don't work for a large number of them. This means 30% of buyers won't know about the stock you have, even if it is advertised on the classified sites, unless they visit your forecourt.  We want to enable everyone to search more easily and arrive on your website or forecourt further along the buying cycle.

 

However conversely, as pointed out, they do buy cars and that's good news for the forecourts they do visit. 

 

Alastair

CEO

Carsnip.com

p.s. If you are going to CDX - click here to meet the team.

[Steve92 80]

The only thing I find with surveys is the data can be manipulated, Ok 30% might not know but that means 70% do. Most of our business comes from the web with the main leads being autotrader and Google, it varies to which comes out on top. Our cars are only advertised on autotrader and on our website.

our location means we don't get much general traffic driving by the front but we are right next to a gym and in the last few weeks we have had maybe 3 people drop in. I feel we could do more but for various reasons we don't. Maybe I should fire questions at mr Reid 

[jimreidvehicle 255]

6 hours ago, Steve92 said:

The only thing I find with surveys is the data can be manipulated, Ok 30% might not know but that means 70% do. Most of our business comes from the web with the main leads being autotrader and Google, it varies to which comes out on top. Our cars are only advertised on autotrader and on our website.

our location means we don't get much general traffic driving by the front but we are right next to a gym and in the last few weeks we have had maybe 3 people drop in. I feel we could do more but for various reasons we don't. Maybe I should fire questions at mr Reid 

Fire away:-)

It's almost like a self fulfilled prophesy isn't it, if you only advertise your cars on Autotrader and your website that is where you will get all your leads from, almost the reverse of us, who don't advertise on Autotrader and guess what.....don't get any leads from Autotrader.

Jim  

[RH Trading 80]

On ‎13‎/‎04‎/‎2016 at 6:29 PM, GreenGiant said:

If I may add a couple of bobsworth...

I struggled to understand the point of the article when I first read it (other than a bit of free PR for carsnip. And well done to them for that). So, Dealers are missing out on £14billion worth of sales through their websites....

Only they aren't, are they? Because those surveyed did actually buy vehicles. So the sales weren't 'lost'. So how do you work that out? And who buys through a website anyway? Generally, they buy from us. On-site. Face to face. Oh, nearly forgot... And customers lie.

So, like other items I just heard on the news today - bit of a non-story, really innit?

Agree with GG here, just a publicity piece to plug another classified site but also confusing as they're shouting about a third of buyers not using classified sites so contradictory. would really like to know how car buyers are going to find carsnip? with all the new companies coming across from the US like carwow, carguru's etc. and the established guys like motors, autotrader, ebay gumtree, rac, etc how will a car buyer choose carsnip or even find them? Saw huge posters around here (M6 Midlands) promoting autovolo a few weeks ago, and what happened to carspring.? Motors must spend a fortune on advertising but when I used them last year received 0 sales from very few leads, same cars advertised elsewhere online sold so its nothing to do with photo's or prices, use FB boosted ads, its very time consuming but if you've got the time probably worth doing, did sell 1 which for cost of £40 wasn't bad. I'm always looking for other avenues and will try anything so good luck, look forward to seeing how this will all work out as there seems to be another site announcing every other week