The most popular trend is a shift in emphasis from manual cars to autonomous cars. People’s keen interest in such cars clearly implies that the autonomous industry is certain to flourish in years to come once suitable infrastructure is built. However, if you look at the buying trends, you will notice that people are welcoming features such as mobility with open hearts.

For sure, essential insights into consumers’ car buying habits will help the automotive industry prioritise their investments and positions in the coming years. How far these trends will change the autonomous industry is not known to anybody at this time, but it is clear that these trends will introduce a positive impact. Here are the car shopping trends:

  • Online research has rapidly increased

In times gone by, people would prefer going to dealers to gain knowledge about new cars. It was not unwonted for people to make a decision simply based on words they hear from car dealers. A brief conversation was more than enough for people to arrive at a decision. Most of the time, these conversations were just about core features like mileage, comfort, etc.

But now car buyers have become more alert. They are taking up the charge to search for a car’s details independently and compare it with other models. According to a report, car buyers spend 59% of time on online research.

At the start of the research, most of the car buyers are inconclusive, but once they begin shopping, 60% of buyers are open to multiple vehicle options. Instead of visiting the official websites of car dealers or manufacturers, more than 70% of people prefer third-party websites.

  • Autonomous vehicles seem to flourish in the coming years

Self-driver cars are the prime trend in the autonomous industry. Car bigwigs prognosticate that the industry will be making higher revenues by the sale of autonomous cars. Self-driving cars are encouraged in that they reduce carbon emissions. In addition, they have features boasting error-free driving.

The demand for electric cars will also be up in the coming years. Not only will the environment be safe, but people’s driving experience will also be much improved. Driverless cars are already available in China and the USA, but not in high numbers. Technology is yet to be developed and improved. Safety is still a subject of concern, but some examples have shown that there is a chance of success.

  • Online car sales have increased rapidly

A report has revealed that there has been an increase in the number of buyers buying cars online. A rise was seen during the pandemic, and ever since, it appears to be going up. Experts believe that this number will reach 65% in the next five years.

Seeing a shift in people’s preferences, car dealers are heavily investing in online showrooms. Some of the most reputed car dealers, like BMW, have created a digital platform for the sale of their cars online. Other brands like Volkswagen and Mercedes are also expecting that online sales will grow, especially when it comes to buying used vehicles.

  • Customer experience will play a big role in decision-making

As online borrowers are growing, it is crucial for car dealers to provide the best customer experience. In fact, it is one of the most essential elements that people will be looking for. As of now, more than 60% of customers believe that customer experience is way more important than the sticker price when buying a car online.

If car dealers or customer care teams do not handle customers’ queries, they will drop the idea and switch to another dealer. The role of car dealers is to enable people to buy cars, and that is possible when they get the best experience. In the coming years, it will be a real challenge for car dealers to keep visitors satisfied online.

  • The satisfaction rate will be up

How satisfied your customers are with your services will decide whether or not they will come back to you. Remember that a satisfied person can recommend you to somebody else, which results in an increasing customer base. The satisfaction rate is not so good when a car is bought straightaway from a showroom.

Test-drive experience has been good for many car buyers. 80% of car buyers assign eight ranks on a scale of 10 to 10, but dissatisfaction creeps in when they have to deal with the finance and insurance departments. Finding themselves embroiled in lengthy, tedious and complex paperwork, the satisfaction rate dwindles to 65%.

As there will be a rapid increase in online purchases in the next five years, it will be much easier and less time-consuming for car dealers to close the deals. Everything will be done online, removing unnecessary paperwork. Of course, the satisfaction rate of car buyers will go up. Even if you are financing your car with bad credit car finance from a direct lender, you will be able to get through all the paperwork soon. This will not get in your way of car purchase.

  • Social media is influencing the car buying decision

Social media sites are actually becoming a part of decision-making for users. The current scenario suggests that about 20% use social networking sites to buy themselves cars, which is up by 4% in 2015.

YouTube is a highly considered platform. Among shoppers who used social media sites, about 10% stated that the information available influenced their purchase decisions. In fact, car buyers post images of their new vehicles on social media sites with little description, helping others know about accurate features and experience. Facebook has taken over Instagram, where about 80% of buyers upload their posts.

The final word

Car shopping trends have changed recently, and they seem to continue to change in the coming years as well. There has been a rise in the number of online car buyers, and people’s preferences seem to be switching to buying electronic and autonomous cars. Social media sites are also being used for car shopping.