Retail

Appreciation for dealers…

This may seem like a tautology, but this new study by L’Observatoire Cetelem shows that if car sales are to be revived, those who sell them have an eminent role to play. To achieve this, they can rely on their positive image, as can manufacturers.

Car dealers are appreciated in all countries, in relatively equal measure, by 7 out of 10 people on average, with a high point as always in China, and to a lesser degree in Spain and Turkey. Respondents’ social and geographical origin, as well as their age, did not bring out any significant differences.

… and salespeople

Within these dealerships, the sales staff themselves have earned a considerable amount of goodwill, which puts them in a favourable position with motorists (Fig. 46). Two-thirds have a good image of salespeople, particularly the Chinese, Poles and Spanish.

Only the Dutch are cautious, with just 55% expressing a positive opinion. If we look at certain sociological segments, the differences are more marked. Young people appreciate them much more than their elders, as do people living in large cities compared to those in rural areas.

Trust throughout the purchasing process

This positive image is reflected in the overall trust placed in dealers and their sales staff to support motorists throughout the purchasing process. 7 times out of 10, motorists trust them, first and foremost, to understand their needs, which in turn leads to the right advice to help them make the right purchase.

These are useful assets when it comes to developing the offering and making the economic adjustments that motorists are looking for to meet their expectations. Let’s repeat this one last time: the Turks and the Chinese are the most satisfied. The Americans and the British are less so.

Distribution penalised by public policies, especially in Europe

However, if distribution is to play an effective role in revi- ving the industry, public policies must be better directed towards dealers. (Fig. 48).

1 in 2 people think this is currently the case. In Europe, this score is above average in only three countries. It is at its lowest in Germany and France, which express the strongest doubts about the direction taken by public policies intended to support car dealers.

Using the internet to sell cars

Activating the retail lever also means potentially opening it up to digital channels. Potentially, because opinions are divided. On average, 1 in 2 motorists say they would be able to complete their entire buying journey on the internet. (Fig. 49). However, when it comes to this issue, opinions diverge significantly between countries, with the greatest differences recorded.

In China, where digital technology is an integral part of daily life and is already being applied to car purchases, 79% of people are in favour of a buying journey entirely conducted online. The Germans, Americans and Turks are also in favour. Conversely, in many countries, less than half of respondents approve, particularly in Japan and the Netherlands (26% and 33%). Unsurprisingly, young people and people living in large cities are in favour, as are families with children and high-income earners.

Favouring physical contact

This reluctance can be explained by the virtual nature of this approach, and therefore the absence of a human dimension. Not being able to see the vehicle, not being able to identify a fault in person and the preference for human contact are the main obstacles to switching to digital purchasing. Seniors are particularly sensitive to the absence of this human dimension.