I’m Going the Distance – Are You?

How far would you go for the perfect vehicle? How far would you go to get the exact features you want in a vehicle? How far would you go to ensure you were getting the best possible value for money?

It seems that now more than ever we are no longer happy to settle for the closest and most convenient option. Now buyers will not compromise on personal preference when it comes to considering purchasing a car such as a cosmetic preference like the colour, or for others it might be something they feel more strongly about like engine size or a licensing restriction like transmission for example. 

Like many others nowadays, personally I do not have a land line phone, just my mobile. When I was looking to buy a car recently, I was not about to call 50 separate numbers to ask each seller a simple question about the car. In my opinion, this information should have already been written in the listing. I view the internet as basically a digital salesman. I would be highly disappointed and would probably leave without further question if I was viewing a car and simply told it was “petrol” and nothing more after enquiring about its features, so why should online be any different.  If I click into a listing and there is not enough information, I simply click out and into the next listing.  I do this without hesitation and never spare a thought for that vehicle again, even though it could have been the car of my dreams without me even knowing.

My most recent vehicle purchase was in November last year. I purchased my car from Waipukarau, which was a 5 hour journey each way, because this vehicle matched my criteria exactly. The fact that it was in the Hawke’s Bay didn’t bother me at all - it simply meant another beautiful part of New Zealand for me to explore - bonus! By the time I got to the stage of contacting the seller I had already made up my mind, I had done a ton of searching and short listing on Trade Me Motors to find exactly what I wanted. The location of the vehicle was one of the last things I looked at as that was a mere technicality as far as I was concerned. I didn’t need to contact the seller at all before I was ready to buy because the listing displayed a lot of good photos of the car including the interior, exterior and engine bay. Furthermore the comments told me everything I wanted and needed to know about the car, right down to the tyre tread and service history, which for me personally is a really important piece of information when buying a used car. This got me thinking - how many other people will happily go the distance to get the best vehicle to suit their needs? Was I road trip obsessed or was this now just the norm in the New Zealand market?

I am happy to say that it is the latter and I am far from alone. With a wide selection of all the vehicles (new and used) for sale in New Zealand at the touch of a button, it is now easier than ever to pick and choose and get exactly what you want without having to compromise.  The Nielsen Automotive Search Report, 2009 found that a staggering 24% of people will travel 2 hours or more not only to purchase a vehicle but some just to test drive before committing to the purchase.  Just under half of buyers are prepared to travel 1-2 hours to inspect a vehicle for potential purchase

Nielsen Automotive Search Report, 2009

Of course for those customers who do not enjoy long distance driving so much or who simply do not have the time, it is important for dealers to offer transport options to prospective customers, making their car buying experience a piece of cake.

There is a growing trend in people turning to social media and forums to get feedback, advice and opinions from friends, family or even complete strangers when researching vehicles. People are doing this as a way of getting a second opinion about a dealership or vehicle, and to reassure themselves that they are making an informed purchasing decision. Being able to read first hand from many different people who have purchased a vehicle without seeing it and their overall experience from start to finish is great for taking away the worries you may have and build trust. They will research and weed out the cowboys, as consumers are always happy to speak up if they have had a negative experience, or been treated badly. The more secure a customer is about the credentials of a dealer and the vehicle advertised, the more likely they are to travel or go out of town to buy that vehicle.

Dealers are also seeing the positive aspects of social media. They are adding testimonial pages to their websites written personally by their happy customers, creating Twitter accounts to show they are real people and not just a faceless online business, and using Facebook to build communities and encourage repeat business. The comment “the vehicle was exactly as described” reassures you that you are dealing with a trustworthy seller who has nothing to hide.

For dealers, making the most of all of the options available to them online encourages customers to buy.  If customers can find the information they want at the tip of their fingers, they WILL go the distance! 

By Natalie Beckham
Account and Administration Manager 
AutoBase Ltd
natalie@autobase.co.nz