Auto Industry Survey Reveals Half of Consumers Consider Buying Next New Car Online

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Feb 11, 2016) -  Roadster, the "direct-to-consumer" new car buying solution, today announced the results of an independently conducted trend survey focused on emerging car buying behaviors. Among its most dramatic findings, the omnibus survey found that half of new car buyers will consider buying their next car fully online. In support, better prices and selection topped reasons for readiness to buy online.

"People have become very comfortable making online purchases, especially when it saves them time and money. Loyalty and trust are built by companies who can consistently deliver on that promise," said Roadster CEO, Andy Moss. "Online car buying has already taken off across Europe. It was only a matter of time before American consumers began to demand similar conveniences. Tesla's early success with online buying is a leading indicator of adoption." 

Featured survey results spanned opinions about dealers, motivations to buy online and even the most dreaded aspects of new car buying. Highlight findings included:

• One out of two car buyers will consider a 100% online purchase of their next car
• Better prices and vehicle selection were the top reasons given for readiness to buy online
• 90% of car buyers dread some portion of the car buying process
• Price negotiation was the most dreaded part of the process, with time spent a close second
• While 36% of recent car buyers would have skipped the dealership if they could, the majority noted that even if they buy online, they still want to go to the dealership for test drives and service
• Further illustrating the desire for a "no hassle" experience, a majority of consumers would pay a small fee for a concierge service, including home delivery and at-home paperwork

Conducted in December 2015 by Survata consumer research, the car shopper trend survey commissioned by Roadster polled 1,000 U.S. consumers who have purchased a car in the past 12-months or intend to do so in the next 12-months.

How does Roadster work?
Roadster dramatically improves the new car buying and leasing process by providing a complete buying experience from shopping for to receiving a car. With Roadster, consumers can explore, compare and look for their perfect car online among hundreds of thousands of vehicles and instantly see available inventory, including specific options and packages. The Roadster Concierge team then works with dealers on the consumer's behalf to source cars and get a great price.

The Concierge team is made up of helpful, unbiased pros who work on all aspects of the purchase or lease process so consumers can avoid the many hours typically spent negotiating in the finance office of a car dealership. Before making any commitment, the consumer receives a simple Deal Sheet that outlines every aspect of the transaction including cash, lease, or finance alternatives. All paperwork is printed in advance and takes less than 15 minutes to sign as part of the delivery of the new car to their home or office. Roadster also helps consumers maximize the trade-in value of their existing car.

About Roadster
Roadster is the most stress-free way to buy or lease a new car. Roadster dramatically improves car buying and leasing, ensuring buyers save money and time, all through a simple, transparent process. With unmatched industry expertise and complete knowledge of dealer pricing, incentives and rebates, Roadster delivers huge savings with no hidden costs. Roadster.com was developed to address the increasingly web-savvy car buying public who purchased 16.5 million new cars in the U.S. in 2014, up 5.9% from the previous year (Source: NADA). Roadster is based in Palo Alto, CA and was founded in late 2013. For more information, please visit roadster.com.