A report by YouGov further reaffirms that transparency and hospitality are key to dealerships closing deals with car buyers as online car shopping continues to gain momentum.
The details: The study reveals that while most Americans (63%) have not been to a dealership in the past three years, the remaining 37% who have visited a store are more likely to buy offline if dealerships have certain practices in place.
Transparent pricing topped the list, with 56% of recent dealership visitors indicating that it would make them more likely to purchase from a dealership or showroom.
Honoring the price shown online once in store was the second most important factor for persuading car shoppers to purchase from a dealership, at 41%.
Atmosphere or in-store hospitality—spanning a greeting upon arrival to offering coffee—ranked third, with 34% saying it would make them more likely to buy offline.
Other persuasive factors include a 48-hour return window (22%), a home or extended test drive option (18%), and mobile pick-up and drop-off maintenance service.
Why it matters: As more shoppers start and consider finishing the car-buying journey online, the dealership visit is becoming more decisive, signaling the importance for dealers to win those in-person moments to remove friction and establish trust.
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Between the lines: Consumer frustrations in store are key factors in what potential buyers indicate are “very important” when visiting a dealership and how they rate their overall experience, underscoring the significance of a highly customer-centered sales approach throughout the process.
52% of those surveyed indicated that a one-way or pushy pitch from a salesperson was a major frustration when visiting a dealership over the past three years, with the number for women being slightly higher than men (53% vs. 50%).
40% of U.S. buyers said not having the prices or fees clearly explained contributed to their negative experience in-store, including 42% for men and 39% for women.
40% of those surveyed also indicated that the pressure to purchase add-ons such as warranties and protection negatively affected their dealership experience, with 42% of men and 37% of women noting it as a concern.
Bottom line: Dealerships continue to matter as sales hubs, service centers, information sources, and trust-building touchpoints, notes the YouGov study. For retailers, it’s affirmation: the key to winning over buyers lies in supporting them throughout every step of the shopping and ownership journey.
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