Nearly half want a confirmed price before heading to the dealer; most only want to spend 30 minutes to 1 hour at the dealership

Auto shoppers are doing all they can before setting foot in a dealership to make the car-buying process as streamlined as possible, according to new eBay Motors research introduced at the 15th Digital Dealer Conference in Las Vegas.

eBay Motors, one of the largest online marketplaces for buying and selling all things automotive, unveiled a new survey showing nearly half (45 percent) of consumers who purchased a vehicle in the last five years want a confirmed price on the car they intend to buy before heading to the dealership. Further, just over half of survey respondents would prefer to confirm the specific make/model, incentives, warranty information, and car history report with a dealer prior to visiting the dealership.

Auto shoppers are also putting in hours of research before heading to a dealership to make sure time spent on the lot is well used. The majority of the vehicle owners only want to spend 30 minutes to 1 hour during their vehicle shopping process, but would like to spend more than 3 hours on researching vehicles online during that process.

When it comes to the online sites survey respondents indicate they visit for information, dealer sites have a slight edge (70 percent) over automaker websites (63 percent) and review websites like Kelly Blue Book (61 percent) as a preferred source for vehicle research, according to the survey.

Mobile is also an increasing source of vehicle research:

• 46 percent of the vehicle owners surveyed said they would like to use mobile devices to research their next vehicle.
• 41 percent said they would like to use mobile devices to research dealerships for their next vehicle.

“Consumers have new expectations for the dealer experience. They’re putting in hours of research online, and increasingly expect to have a clear understanding of everything from price to warranty information before setting foot in a dealership,” said Clayton Stanfield, senior manager of dealer training at eBay. “Dealers must participate in the online marketplace and engage with shoppers through their preferred channels, which are increasingly digital and mobile, just to be part of the purchasing consideration set, let alone win business.”

eBay Motors is dedicated to being a top parts and accessories destination, where both enthusiasts and everyday drivers can find the parts they need to modify, repair, and personalize their rides. eBay mobile apps, including the eBay Motors iPhone app, provide shoppers with personalized experiences tailored to fit individual interests, and enable them to shop anytime, anywhere. Currently, there are more than 13,000 vehicles and 831,000 parts and accessories sold every week via eBay mobile apps.