Four out of five of the Internet’s new-vehicle shoppers did not receive a response when they wrote to auto manufacturers to ask for pricing, availability and other information, according to a survey released last week by CNW Marketing, Bandon, OR, a marketing and research firm.
The survey questioned 1.1 million Internet shoppers. Twenty-six percent said new-car searches took place at home, and 6 percent said searches took place from a library or other location. Twenty percent of shoppers said they wanted to talk to a salesperson online.
According to survey results, the Internet soon may be responsible for 27 percent to 30 percent of new vehicle sales and 65 percent of auto financing. Women, who currently make up only 18 percent of new-vehicle shoppers, will likely double that percentage within two years.
