The second wave (1st semester 2000) of this online barometric survey Cartrack, conducted in the 5 major automotive marketplaces in Europe (Germany, Spain, France, Italy, UK), substantiates the fact that the Internet will play an increasingly important role in the car information and purchasing processes.
It points out that 35% of Internet users engaged in the car buying process are ready to buy a car online, ranging from 30% in UK to 41% in Germany and Italy, revealing a willingness to adopt the Internet as a new automotive distribution channel.
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Automaker sites are more popular than the new intermediaries’ sites, ( car purchasing services or online used car marketplaces), but are visited by only 32%, 37%, 40%, 47% and 48% of buyers respectively in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.
These new actors are quickly gaining in visibility and legitimacy, taking into consideration that already:
§ 42% of the British car buyers know Autobytel, and 87% recommend the site.
§ 11% of the French car buyers know Autovalley, and 60% recommend the site.
§ 52,7% of the German car buyers know Autoscout24, and 81% recommend the site.
The main advantages in shopping for a car online are :
From the viewpoint of German and Italian respondents, you are better informed about promotions on vehicles and also save time seeking information as well as during the actual car purchasing process.
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By GlobalDataFrench and Spanish respondents feel that you are better informed about promotions on vehicles and get a more complete picture of the car model from a site rather than from a catalogue.
For British users, the Internet offers lower prices on the different models and enables you to save time in searching for a car as well as in buying one.
As to whether the Internet is a plus :
§ 74% of the Italians, as compared to only 48% of the British are of the opinion that Internet allows you to save time when searching for a car.
§ 58% of the Italians, as compared to only 40% of the Germans are of the opinion that Internet enables you to get the lowest price for a car.
When it comes to the main online tools :
§ 36% of the British, as compared to only 28% of the Italians have used an online configurator.
§ 14% of the Germans as compared to only 10% of the French have used online contact forms to make an appointment.
§ 51% of the French as compared to only 23% of the Spanish and Italians have used a trade-in value calculator.
Interviewing over 2,500 European Internet users in the car buying process, Cartrack is considered to be a barometer for monitoring, in 6-month waves, the attitudes and know-how of online car buyers with regard to the Internet and to new intermediaries, for both new and used car purchasing.
The study provides, at the same time, a means of comparing between the 5 countries, the potential of Internet as a source of information as well as a car distribution channel.
Cartrack has already been chosen by a number of automakers, notably GM Europe, Ford Europe, Peugeot and Renault. AOL Europe is also one out of a number of clients and partners in Europe.
The results of the 2nd wave will be available by the end of June 2000.
For information please contact :
· Xavier Renaud 33-(0)4-78-14-24-11 xrenaud@amtresearch.com
· Yannick Autret 33-(0)4-78-14-24-01 yautret@amtresearch.com
AMT Research (www.amtresearch.com), a member of the Co-Spirit Group, is a company specializing in studies and online marketing consultancy. In particular, AMT Research carries out benchmarking as well as qualitative and quantitative studies online, enabling its clients to establish and plan their commercial online strategies in relation to the competition on the major European markets.
9 automakers have subscribed to the regular online benchmarking reports “Online Automotive Marketing Strategies in Europe”. AMT Research also conducts sector-specific survey studies such as Cartrack.
Created in 1996 and based in Lyon and Paris, AMT Research is one of the pioneers in its field in Europe. The company’s clients include IBM Europe, Vivendi, L’Oréal and France Telecom. With 15 analyst consultants, and an annual growth rate of 50%, AMT Research is one of the key international players in online marketing studies and benchmarking in Europe.
