More car shoppers are open to using artificial intelligence (AI) during their purchasing journey, but they still overwhelmingly want to visit dealerships in person before buying
First things first: A report by Fullpath,drawn from a survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, reveals that car buyers rely on a broad mix of digital platforms when shopping for a vehicle, with dealership websites topping the list.
77% of consumers visit a dealership website when shopping for a vehicle.
73% of car shoppers use a search engine like Google, Bing, or Yahoo.
65% of consumers in the market for a new vehicle visit car review websites.
55% of car buyers report using online marketplaces when shopping for a vehicle.
41% of consumers visit social media platforms during their car purchase journey.
Digging in: Currently, only 16% of car shoppers report using ChatGPT or other AI-based platforms during their purchase journey. However, consumers’ comfort level with using AI for car purchasing advice is shifting, with more feeling comfortable with the tech.
62% feel “comfortable” receiving guidance from AI during the buying process.
23% report feeling “very comfortable” using the tech to shop for a vehicle.
39% reported feeling “somewhat comfortable” with AI when car shopping.
Why it matters: Customers want digital convenience and AI assistance during the research phase, but the complexity and cost of vehicle purchases still drives them to physical locations for final decisions. This creates pressure on dealers to seamlessly connect online and offline experiences.
Bigger picture: According to Fullpath, three out of five consumers surveyed think buying a vehicle online should feel like any other digital shopping experience—though the majority still want to visit a dealership to finalize the sale.
56% said it “very important” to visit a dealership before making a car purchase.
30% feel it was “somewhat important” to visit a dealership prior to the purchase.
14% viewed in-person visits as “not very important” or “not important at all.”
What they're saying: “Our latest survey demonstrates that consumers are demanding smarter, more personalized experiences throughout their purchasing journey… This means dealerships that leverage AI and create a seamless online to offline experience will win more business from today's modern shoppers,” said Ilana Shabtay, VP of Marketing at Fullpath.
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