The Toronto Star posted a recent fall survey by Google that found 85% of those surveyed started with the Internet to help decide their next vehicle purchase. This is another sign of the growing trend that consumers are relying more on information from the Net to making purchase decisions. See full article.
More and more consumers are visiting manufacturer sites to compare cars. There are numerous car news and reviews sites that help educate consumers on the ins and outs of today’s autos. They are also using sites social media sites like Facebook to get feedback from previous buyers on what to look for or to stay away from.
With the current state of the economy consumers are not as prepared to depart with their money. Consumers know a little homework online may save them some money down the road. So consumers want to be better educated before walking onto the sales floor. This is not to say sales people are not valuable resources in the purchase process. Consumers just want to be able to speak their language. So they don’t walk away feeling they could have gotten a better deal.
I’ve seen this in banking as well. Front line banking agents are reasonably trained in banking products. But they lack knowledge of the full financial picture. Consumers are not completely satisfied with this. So many start their research online. Using bank sites to review and compare their products and services. They visit financial sites to get advice from researchers on financial trends. And they talk to friends and other financial experts to help in their decision making process.
But how is this helpful for brands like Ford or RBC? If they understand consumer’s new reliance on the web for information they should satisfy this need in their digital marketing strategy. Corporate sites should facilitate product comparisons, consumer or third party reviews, forums and the like to help give the consumer everything they need. Brands should embrace social media to listen to and speak directly with consumers about what they are looking for in new and innovative products.
Less and less, consumers will go directly to the sales agent for information. So brands need to go where their consumers are. Online.
