Auto dealers must invest in digital resources: Google

Expectations are changing, and now more than ever, people want the ability to buy and engage with the brand from the comfort of their home, Nikhil Bansal, Head of Industry, Automotive, Google India, said.

 As a result of the pandemic, there is a rise in consumers’ desire for their own personal mode of transportation. Online intent for automobile purchases in India is back to pre-lockdown levels after a 30-35 per cent drop.

 The India Auto Pulse report also found over 45 per cent of consumers have plans to buy a new car sooner, despite some markets reporting a recession.

 But over the years, the window to influence purchase decisions through offline efforts has gotten smaller. Four out of every five people living in India who are considering buying a car said they would use an online purchase option if it were available, as per the report.

 Nearly a third of all potential buyers would buy a car sooner if they had an online option and could avoid visiting a dealership, it added. Shashank Srivastava, Maruti Suzuki’s ED, Sales and Marketing, said web-based sales inquiries have risen from 3 per cent to 39 per cent over the last three years, a finding that suggests car buyers want auto dealers to make it easier for them to purchase from home.