A crucial part of automotive digital retailing is to have a functional website with compelling content and advanced features. It makes the car buying journey seamless for customers, while boosting efficiency throughout sales workflows.
Did you know that car buyers spend around 75% of their journey online? Before the pandemic in 2020, only 2% of auto sales were completed online, whereas now this number is over 30% and keeps increasing. When customers land on an automotive website, they expect to be greeted by an eye-catching, yet simple layout. It should ideally have the following features:
Well-designed homepage
A segmented home page is more straightforward for visitors to read and provides a better user experience when it comes to automotive e-commerce. Customers expect a visually pleasing theme on top of well-prepared visual content.
Updated inventory and search option
A “search” option is an important feature of any automotive portal which most visitors use to find and compare their preferred car models. The portal search feature should allow them to search for vehicles based on brand, model, year of manufacture, cost, and more, so the inventory has to be updated regularly.
Vehicle comparison options
Customers like to compare various vehicles side by side by taking a look at features, specs, makes, models, etc. It provides them with the right information so they can make informed decisions.
Digital showroom
The idea is to provide customers with the feeling of visiting a car showroom from the comfort of their home. High-quality images and videos highlighting the best features of vehicles allow customers to assess if a particular car is suitable for them or not. Ensure that 360-degree views are available so that they can actually experience what it would be like to own a specific car. Here’s where a software like Modera Showroom can help you out.
Test drive bookings
No more asking customers to “wait for their turn” for test drives. All they have to do is go to the website, choose a time slot for a test drive, and then simply show up. It ensures a smooth and hassle-free experience, where your sales personnel don’t have to manage irate customers.
Loan calculator
An auto loan calculator has to be integrated into the website, so customers can compare loan offers, chalk out monthly payments, and then choose the best option. The calculator has to take into account factors such as vehicle price, loan interest rate, the duration of the loan, down payment, etc.
Payment customizations
An online automotive retail tool drives customers as far as they would like, including an in-depth pricing breakdown. After computing the loan amount, they can check out financing options in detail. They can even get instant trade-in offers and have that rolled into their pricing. Modera Trade-in helps to get a market evaluation quickly after the details of a vehicle have been entered. Finally, they can place a deposit to secure the vehicle.
Service reservation
Your role doesn’t necessarily end when the customer buys a car from the dealership. The next thing they look for is dependable car service and repair. Be it regular inspections or maintenance purposes, customers prefer to make appointments online instead of visiting the dealership and filling out forms.
Round-the-clock customer support
The purpose of automotive e-commerce is to make the entire buying journey more convenient for customers, while making the jobs of sales personnel easier. They can engage with car buyers via live chat and video calls. When required, they can help to select a model, discuss financing options, and collect information. Online retail customers can easily book a showroom appointment, and pick up exactly where they left off, since all their information is readily available.
It is time to combine the in-store and website customer experience into a single centralized platform, to create the ideal buying journey, while ensuring smooth operations for the dealership.
