Computer-savvy British car buyers could soon take the plunge and buy cars over the internet, according to Christian Stein, the new director of marketing at Peugeot UK.
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Stein, who joined the company three months ago after holding a similar position at Peugeot Belgium, said he had been surprised how much more accepted the internet was in the UK.
“I think 10% to 20% of UK buyers are close to being ready to buy from the internet,” he said.
But this did not mean UK Peugeot dealers should be worried.
“We are not as a company doing anything about this at the moment,” he said.
“We are working with our dealers, but in the future I don’t know. It’s clear that one day the demand will be strong to buy this way.
“The UK has a strong dealer network, but it seems sure the internet could be useful in countries where we do not have a strong network.”
In the long run, the internet would alter the role of the dealer, said Stein.
“I don’t know when this will happen, maybe within five years, but people do shop on the internet now and buying cars is a logical step.
“People know what particular cars are like from their friends and we know from our research that more than 50% of people go to the internet first for new car information.”
In the long term Stein thinks new car buyers will split into three categories of customer.
“There will always be people who want to buy from a dealer, others will buy from another sales outlet which could be a supermarket like Tesco, and some will go even further and buy their car over the internet.”
Stein said the extent of broadband take-up in homes in the UK had helped make the internet more accepted as a part of everyday life than was the case so far on mainland Europe.
And this was increasing with internet wi-fi hot spots in cities and the internet becoming available on mobile phones.
Stein is responsible for all elements of marketing and promoting Peugeot’s extensive car and light commercial vehicle product range through advertising, the company’s website and other communication channels.
He headed Peugeot Belgium’s marketing for the last four years and, for five years before that, he managed the dealer network.
He has also worked for Peugeot in Spain and France in both finance and sponsorship roles.
Russell Bray
