Chinese car buyers use the Internet actively to research information about a vehicle, and some actually buy cars online, a survey by Accenture showed yesterday.
About 80 percent of drivers seeking to buy a new car use some form of digital technology to research their buying preferences, and nearly two-thirds conduct the purchasing process online before entering a dealership, according to the survey, which interviewed more than 10,000 consumers around the world.
Chinese respondents showed the strongest interest in buying a new car online, with 92 percent saying they had done so or would study it. Drivers in Japan had the lowest interest as only 20 percent said they would do so.
Around the world, 75 percent of the respondents said that they would consider making the entire car-buying process online, including financing and price negotiation. Two-thirds said they have either bought a car online or would consider doing so.
"The impact of the digital customer is becoming pervasive, disrupting the traditional car-buying experience," said Christina Raab, global managing director for Digital Consumer Services in Accenture's Automotive Practice.