Even though virtual sales may be here to stay, almost 80 per cent of Australians would still prefer to acquire their next vehicle in person at an authorised dealer, according to a global survey by accounting and advisory firm Deloitte.

In its 2021 Global Automotive Consumer Study, Deloitte surveyed more than 24,000 consumers across 23 countries to explore the opinions and concerns of critical issues impacting the automotive industry.

The findings of the study revealed that the majority (79 per cent) of buyers want face-to-face interaction with an authorised dealer. Even those consumers who want a virtual buying process want personal contact with a dealer when securing a vehicle.

Deloitte Australia Automotive Co-Leader Dale McCauley said purchasing a vehicle remains – and is likely to continue to remain in the foreseeable future – an in-person experience for many consumers around the globe, including Australia.

“Australian dealers have shown they are open to change on the sales experience front in recent years. But with so many consumer transactions now available online, it’s a matter of time before this extends more and more into the auto space,” McCauley said.

When assessing the main reason to acquire their next vehicle via a virtual process, Australian consumers listed convenience (39 per cent), speed (22 per cent) and ease of use (17 per cent) as their primary considerations.

However, Mr McCauley also suggested that “Certain aspects of the buying process remain difficult to digitise, so the in-person experience will remain with us for some time.”

“People still want to see, touch, and smell, (and drive) a vehicle before they buy it.”

According to the Deloitte survey, 83 per cent of consumers want to see the vehicle, 68 per cent want to test drive the vehicle, and 45 per cent prefer to negotiate in-person.

“Will there be virtual vehicle sales in the future?” McCauley continued. “Absolutely. But we don’t need to write off the in-person experience just yet, as most consumers still want it going forward.”

Finally, the survey looked at “virtual servicing”. While most consumers are interested, a significant percentage do not want to pay for it. The survey found that 60 per cent of Australians are interested in having their vehicle picked up from their home or office when it needs a service, but only if it is free.

To learn more about Deloitte’s 2021 Global Automotive Consumer Study, visit www.deloitte.com/autoconsumers

Sources:

GoAutoNews | Deloitte: Most Aussies want dealers 

Deloitte | Global Automotive Consumer Study 2021

18 March 2021