Online Car Shopping
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The new focus on online car shopping can help a consumer find the automobile they really want, pay the least for it, and become more satisfied with the overall purchase. The traditional car selling process focuses on the emotions of a person. An individual who walks onto a car lot has already been targeted and pegged by the salesperson. The salesperson will judge the type and style of car a person should have based on a few factors: 1) What type of car, that person "rolled up" in, 2) What the person is wearing, 3) How easy-going the person is, 4) Whether or not they think they can talk the person into buying a car that pays the salesperson the most commission. Obviously, none of these things have anything to do with the car the individual may be interested in buying. By and large, this traditional system of sales is intimidating and stressful for car buyers. They often leave the lot happy but soon experience buyer's remorse. Because people do have an idea of the type and style of vehicle desired, and often a budget limit, the tendency is to be sad that their own plan didn't work. There are feelings that the salesperson took advantage of them. Online car shopping eliminates that whole scenario. Consumers are put in, both, the figurative and literal driving seats.
"Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month." (Joel 2:23) Although there are a number of websites that display the actual automobiles that are for sale, there are also sites that just give information. Often dealerships set up a website for online car shopping that allows a person to look and find out what is available. When a person is ready to make such a purchase, going to research sites can help them make a conscientious, well thought out decision; instead of an emotional one. Before research on the make, model, and year begins, a financial assessment should be made about the how the automobile will be paid for. Preparedness is the key to a successful consumer transaction. This fact does not detract from the actual sale, though. Normally, a person will still have to walk into the dealership. What makes the process different, with online car shopping, is that every aspect of the sale can be done before a person sets foot on the dealership lot.
When shopping online, there a number of factors to keep in mind. Although the auto may be available in Ontario, California, the dealership in Ogden, Utah may not carry it. So therefore, location is very important. Though an auto can easily be shipped to a location, paying that expense is unnecessary. When one goes online car shopping, there is a better selection of vehicles. In a general area, the same auto may be available, but different dealerships carry different stock. There is one midnight blue sedan at "Location A" (which is 100 miles away), three silver blue sedans at "Location B" (which is 55 miles away), and one royal blue coupe (which is 1.5 miles away). Depending upon how important the color is and whether a person would frequently use the back seat of the automobile, they could choose a vehicle at either of these locations. Often, dealerships are not very forthcoming about the stock of their competitor; because money is the bottom line. If the dealer can convince a person that a trip to another dealer is a waste of their time, perhaps they can garner the sale for themselves.
After having an online car shopping experience and a person walks into the dealership with check in hand, typically a desired purchase is made. When a person must go through the financing process with the dealer, the process may not go so smoothly. Dealers actually has a sales technique that most people are not familiar with. It is called the 4-square. The technique is actually a distraction. The 4-square focuses the person's attention on the payment and not the overall total cost of the vehicle. A person is pounded with the question, "How much do you want to pay?" What the consumer wants to know is the overall costs. What the salesperson keeps giving them is the monthly payment. Only with great persistence from the consumer will a manager finally come in and give the person the bottom line costs. This process can be very frustrating. In comes online car shopping and voil; the person arrives with check in hand. There is no financial discussion with the dealer. The person just drives away with the car of their choice.
Say for example, a person is looking to purchase a 2010, Ford Explorer. The person goes to the research websites first. Information about costs, details on colors and features, and reviews can be taken in at a person's leisure. After the individual is satisfied with every aspect of the auto, financing is the next step. Instead of taking the deal that the dealership is offering, the person can get the approval, and sometimes even the check before hand. Though there is a movement toward online car shopping, the dealership is not extinct; yet. Dealers are still needed to house the vehicles. Plus, auto salespeople still need to make money. The game has changed; though. What technology does is put the consumer at an advantage. For the purchase of vehicles, this option can save dollars, heartbreak and headache.
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