Pub. 1 2011 Issue 2

8 AUTOMOBILE DEALER NEWS ILLINOIS www.illinoisdealers.com D ue in large part to the Internet, car buyers can now go online and check out the latest car offerings, reviews, consumer reports, view exterior and interior photos of new and used cars, and shop only at those places where they will get the best car at the best price. Convenience and the desire to find exactly the right vehicle at the best possible price is what drives consumers to research their options online. Using the Internet also saves time and money by reducing the number of vehicles that a consumer considers. Clearly, the Internet has be- come a valuable tool for those in the market for a new or used vehicle. According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006NewAutoshopper.comStudy,a record 85%of buyers visit a search engine or portal (such as AOL, Google,MSN and Yahoo!) as part of their shopping process BEFORE they even visit the lot, spending an average of 9hours of research for every vehicle they purchase. Conversely, the Internet has forever changed the way dealerships interact with potential customers. Gone are the days of ‘a butt for every seat’! The sheer volume and detailed information available to anyone with an Internet connection has rewritten the rules of price, presentation and preparation on the part of the dealership. It’s a new world of information and dealers need a fresh mindset to address the changes. The days of walking into a car dealership to be greeted by several eager members of the sales staff are not gone, but they are substantially numbered. It’s a New World! The Internet has given empowerment to the car buying consumer. BY KURT A. KARLSON