icon-branding Events Icon Created with Sketch. Inventory Icon Created with Sketch. icon-mail-hovericon-mail Marketing Icon Created with Sketch. icon-operationsicon-phone-hovericon-phone Product Training Icon Created with Sketch. Sales Icon Created with Sketch. Service Icon Created with Sketch. icon-social-fb-hovericon-social-fbicon-social-google-hovericon-social-googleicon-social-linkedin-hovericon-social-linkedinicon-social-rss-hovericon-social-rss icon-social-twitter Created with Sketch. icon-social-twitter-hovericon-social-twittericon-social-youtube-hovericon-social-youtube

Key consumer research

Influence of Online Shopping

Share

Facebook Share Tweet Linkedin Share Email Email
Young multi ehtnic couple in love using a digital tablet at the park.

Car buyers spend most of their shopping time online and are using a variety of devices to shop, including desktop and laptop computers, smartphones and tablets. The prevalence of a multi-screen car-shopping experience gives automotive marketers substantial opportunities to target and effectively influence shoppers at any time or any place. Dealers should focus on unique ways to deliver a consistent overall message with content designed for each specific device being used during the car-shopping process.

purchased intended vehicle
%

74% of buyers purchased the vehicle they decided to buy prior to visiting any dealerships.1

buyers’ shopping time spent online
%

60% of buyers’ shopping time was spent online, using an average of 5.5 sites.1

SITES USED
THIRD PARTY SITES 83%
AUTOTRADER & KELLEY BLUE BOOK 73%
DEALERSHIP SITES 54%
OEM SITES 35%
SMARTPHONE USAGE
%

Smartphone usage during the car-shopping process increased from 46% in 2016 to 56% in 2017.1

Multi-device USAGE
%

Multi-device usage increased from 47% in 2016 to 53% in 2017 (surpassing single device as the primary shopping method).1

Tariffs: Our Insights

The Cox Automotive Economic and Industry Insights team is closely monitoring tariff developments and regularly publishing insightful commentary and analysis as appropriate.

READ THE LATEST

Sign up here to receive bi-weekly updates on news and trends dominating the automotive industry.

  1. 2017 Cox Automotive Car Buyer Journey Study