One Fifth of All Cars Could Sell Online by 2015

According to a British web management company for the automotive sector, GForces, about twenty percent of all UK car sales will be conducted online within five years. According to GForces, the entire buying process, which now consists of going to a dealership, test driving the desired car, then signing on the dotted line, could be replaced by an online procedure.

This means that consumers will read online reviews from trusted outlets, find the best price, and then conduct a secure financial transaction over the Internet.

“People are more comfortable with purchasing large products online. Many of our clients are meeting their customer’s demands by moving more of the car sales functions online such as vehicle reviews, finance propositions and insurance quotations,” Tim Smith, GForces Commercial Director, said in a release.

“Visits to dealerships will continue because some people want to test drive the vehicle or speak face-to-face.  However, the Internet generation are less inclined to this behaviour.”

Apparently, nearly one in five respondents to a recent Capgemini study said they are ‘very likely’ or ‘likely’ to purchase a vehicle over the Internet in the future.

This, however, doesn’t necessarily mean the beginning of the end for traditional dealers, as Smith believes that they now have the chance to get their online presence in order before the move takes place.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for car dealers, rather than a looming disaster,” Smith said. “If they take this chance to put in place an effective web marketing strategy, they’ll be far better equipped to operate successfully in the online marketplace of the future and to adapt to whatever consumer trends come their way.”