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While
traffic to independent automotive Websites by new-vehicle buyers
remains high, manufacturer and dealer sites are receiving more
attention from online shoppers, according to the J.D. Power and
Associates 2002 New Autoshopper.com
Study.
Independent,
third-party Websites continue to lead the automotive Internet
marketplace, with 82 percent of automotive Internet users visiting
such sites compared to 83 percent in 2001. However, while traffic
at independent sites has leveled off, more consumers than ever
before are visiting manufacturer and dealer sites. The study,
now in its fifth year, finds that 76 percent of automotive Internet
users visited a manufacturer Web site in 2002, compared to 73
percent a year ago. Traffic to dealer sites improved to 48 percent,
up from 46 percent in 2001, representing a 55 percent increase
since 1999.
"Over
the past five years, the Internet has been a catalyst for change
in the automotive shopping process," said Scott Weitzman,
senior director of automotive Internet research at J.D. Power
and Associates. "What we’re seeing today are consumers
that are more empowered than ever before and a dealer body more
receptive and responsive to them."
Of
the 60 percent of new-vehicle buyers who use the Internet while
shopping, 88 percent visit automotive Web sites before arriving
at a dealership for a test drive. The average automotive Internet
user visits seven Web sites while shopping for a new vehicle and
starts the online shopping process nearly two months before they
purchase.
Kelley
Blue Book is the most frequently visited automotive
site for the fifth consecutive year. Edmunds.com
is rated as the most useful automotive Web site for the second
year in a row. Autobytel.com continues to generate more online
sales than any other site, but has lost some ground to manufacturer
sites such as GM BuyPower.com.
The
2002 New Autoshopper.com study analyzes Internet behavior among
new-vehicle buyers. The study is based on responses from 27,383
consumers who purchased a new vehicle in 2002. |
