
Shifted auto tv#
Historically, the car dealerships have primarily focused on the local market, with targeted radio and TV advertisements built to get locals to their location.Įcommerce breaks down the limiting geographic barriers and expands sales across different markets. All of this is controlled and monitored by the automotive ecommerce platform. Instead of viewing one car or brand per showroom, customers can simultaneously view cars and compare brands, look through product data and product pages, or even order car parts. Through digital and targeted ads, organizations can help point shoppers in the right direction to find the new vehicle or automotive parts they are looking for. Through an ecommerce platform, a company is able to improve the buying experience with things such as a personalized ecommerce site or independent storefronts. With an ecommerce business model, automotive organizations and dealerships are better able to mold their customer experience in a way that is universal and less prone to salesman-dependent variances. This is a positive shift for organizations, as the benefits of automotive ecommerce stores are substantial - for both the customer and automotive businesses - and can help increase revenue across the entire value chain. Automotive businesses that have been hesitant to move away from the tried and true method of physical sales were forced to pivot - whether they were ready or not. Organizations like Ford have prioritized their automotive ecommerce website and social media presences like never before by revamping their websites, focusing on functionality, and prioritizing digital ads.Īs with most industries across the United States, the automotive industry and distributors has been forced to adapt quickly as more and more shoppers continue to purchase online. The numbers speak for themselves, and as a result, the auto industry has shifted its gears even further toward an online model in order to better both sell auto parts and vehicles.

Since 2010, online car sales have skyrocketed, jumping almost 100%. However, as the graph above shows, sales had already dipped substantially in 2019 prior to the pandemic.ĭespite the dour news, there is a bright spot for automotive companies - automotive ecommerce. The low number of 2020 may be indicative of the results of the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected physical sales across every industry. In 2020, that number fell to only 3.5 million cars sold. In 2000, around 9 million vehicles were sold. Over the last 20 years, overall total car sales in the United States have declined significantly. How the Automotive Industry is Shifting Gears Online Like many other digital commerce industries, automotive merchants are taking an increasingly omnichannel approach to selling, by which customers can use both physical and digital channels to make an educated purchase. For example, a new car is sold on a physical lot, and its aftermarket parts are purchased on an auto parts ecommerce platform. An ecommerce sale is often done in conjunction with physical sales. This can be conducted through various methods, ranging from computers to phones to mobile tablets.Īutomotive ecommerce doesn’t have to be a siloed process either. For organizations looking to gain a greater market share, this article can help you stay ahead of the competition.Īutomotive ecommerce, or automotive electronic commerce, refers to the buying and selling of automotive vehicles and parts over the Internet.

If these numbers are any indication, automotive ecommerce is here to stay. Prior to the pandemic, 32% of US car buyers were open to buying online. However, despite the drop in overall car sales, the market for automotive ecommerce increased going into 20, as most potential car buyers found themselves with no other option.Įven in 2021, as business began to open up again, the spike in online sales has not subsided as customers have grown accustomed to the ease of ecommerce solutions.

This trend grew even more pronounced with the onslaught of COVID-19, when lockdowns and global supply chain struggles caused physical car sales to plummet.

The automotive industry has changed significantly over the last several decades, as automotive sales across the United States have trended downward and more shoppers have moved to online marketplaces like Carvana.
