People Still Aren't Into Buying Cars Online

"In the US, cars follow only housing as the most expensive purchase consumers make. So it makes a lot of sense that, according to recent buyer surveys, very few of them want an Amazon-style, one-click approach to getting a new set of wheels. "People want to see, feel, and touch the car," says Erin Lomax, the vice president of consumer marketing at Cox Automotive, a research firm that also makes digital auto sales products that allow dealers to initiate transactions online."

"Not to mention test-driving the expensive thing they'll probably use every day. Data released by Cox this month shows that while 28 percent of car buyers go into the transaction thinking they want to do the whole thing online, just 7 percent end up pulling it off. More than half of buyers conduct their purchases entirely in person. Another consumer survey, published in the fall, found that just over half of car buyers wanted to physically sign paper copies of important documents."

Cars are the second-most expensive consumer purchase after housing, and many buyers prefer in-person interactions for such a large commitment. Surveys show strong preferences for seeing, feeling, and test-driving vehicles before purchase. Data indicate 28 percent of buyers initially plan to complete purchases online but only 7 percent actually do, while more than half complete purchases entirely in person. Additional surveys report that just over half of buyers want to physically sign important documents and 86 percent want to see a car in person before finalizing. The industry continues to expand online sales tools developed during the pandemic, and some firms now offer fully online buying platforms.

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