In 2014, mobile usage will surpass desktop usage, and with this rapid smartphone adoption, consumers are relying on their devices to determine what and where to buy. Automotive purchases are no different. In fact, at Cars.com, nearly half of all traffic now comes from smartphones and tablets.
This presentation includes findings on dealer shopper behavior and on-the-lot mobile usage from research conducted Cars.com with Placed, Inc. and tips for effectively marketing to mobile shoppers to reinforce your brand across platforms.
It covers:
• How shoppers are using mobile devices throughout their research, including on-the-lot, to decide what and where to buy
• How to take a mobile-first approach to your marketing and showroom experience
• How to overcome showrooming and turn mobile shoppers into sales
2. Alex Vetter
Senior Vice President at
Cars.com
Jack Simmons
Dealer Training Manager at
Cars.com
3. What you will learn
•
How shoppers use mobile devices throughout their
research
•
How to take a mobile first approach to marketing and
showroom experience
•
Overcome showrooming and turn mobile shoppers
into sales
3
4. Mobile is gaining speed
•
Those accessing the internet from
smartphones more than doubled over
the last four years from 25% to 60%1
•
More than half of the digital population
use multiple devices to access the web2
•
79% of mobile device users have shopped
on their smartphones or tablets3
Source:
1. Pew Internet & American Life Project. Sept, 16th 2013
2. Maeve Duggan & Aaron Smith. Cell Internet Use 2013
3. Nielsen. How U.S. Smartphone and Tablet Owners Use Their Devices for Shopping, 2012
4
6. Mobile use in automotive shopping process is on the rise
U.S. Vehicle Shoppers Who Have Visited and
Automotive Website or App via Smartphone*
73%
71%
41%
2012
*Who intended to purchase or lease within 2 years
Source: J.D. Power, 2012 and 2013 Automotive Mobile Site StudySM
2013
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7. Cars.com site data supports this trend
NEARLY HALF OF THE TRAFFIC
TO CARS.COM NOW COMES
FROM MOBILE DEVICES
MOBILE VIEWS OF VEHICLE PAGES
ON CARS.COM HAVE INCREASED
74% YEAR-OVER-YEAR
7
8. Cars.com site data supports this trend
SMARTPHONE TRAFFIC BY
CARS.COM DEVICE
iPad App
1%
Tablet to
Cars.com
10%
Smartphone
33%
Desktop/
Laptop
56%
8
11. Mobile shoppers are a crucial audience
8 IN 10 PANELISTS USED THEIR SMARTPHONES IN
THEIR CAR SHOPPING PROCESS
1 IN 3 USED MUTLIPLE DEVICES TO RESEARCH PRIOR TO
VISITING A DEALERSHIP
1 IN 4 ONLY USED THEIR SMARTPHONE TO RESEARCH
PRIOR TO VISITING A DEALERSHIP
Source: Mobile Device Use at the Dealership Study, Placed, Inc., Jan 2014
11
12. Devices used to research prior to dealer visit
59%
48%
19%
Source: Mobile Device Use at the Dealership Study, Placed, Inc., Jan 2014
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13. Mobile devices give rise to showrooming at the dealership
SHOWROOMING
[shoh-room-ing]
verb
Showrooming is the practice of examining merchandise in a
retail store without purchasing it, then shopping online for
a better deal for the same item.
13
14. Mobile devices give rise to showrooming at the dealership
63%
OF AUTO SHOPPERS RESEARCHED
ONLINE WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP
MORE THAN HALF OF SHOPPERS WHO USED THEIR
SMARTPHONE TO RESEARCH ON A DEALER LOT
VISITED ADDITIONAL DEALERSHIPS AS A RESULT OF
INFORMATION FOUND ON THEIR DEVICE
Source: Mobile Device Use at the Dealership Study, Placed, Inc., Jan 2014
14
15. On-the-lot mobile shoppers are still open to influence
Visited Additional Dealerships Within a Day
Percent of Respondents
72%
62%
36%
No Mobile Research At Dealer
Source: Mobile Device Use at the Dealership Study, Placed, Inc., Jan 2014
Used Mobile On-The-Lot
15
16. While on-the-lot shoppers relied upon third party sites most often
Website/App Used While at Dealership
Shoppers Researching While On The Lot
56%
3rd Party Site*
28%
OEM app or website
25%
Dealership app or website
Search Engine
Consumer review app or
website
19%
13%
*3rd party sites include: AutoTrader.com, Cars.com, Edmunds.com, KBB.com
Source: Mobile Device Use at the Dealership Study, Placed, Inc., Jan 2014
16
17. Information related to price, inventory and reviews were most researched
Source: Mobile Device Use at the Dealership Study, Placed, Inc., Jan 2014
17
18. Price, inventory and advertising were top drivers of additional visits
Information Found on Mobile Device That Persuaded Shoppers to
Visit Additional Dealer(s) Percent of Mobile Users at Dealership
That Visited Multiple Dealers
57%
Better price
42%
Found vehicle at other dealership(s)
33%
Advertisement for nearby dealership
24%
Better reviews about other dealer or vehicle
22%
Found nearby dealership on map
Compared specs of vehicles
14%
Source: Mobile Device Use at the Dealership Study, Placed, Inc., Jan 2014
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19. CONSUMERS ARE GOING MOBILE
without a mobile first marketing plan you
lose opportunities to reach and influence
today’s savvy mobile shoppers
20. Take your marketing mobile
Don’t wait to invest in mobile marketing or you’ll lose your first-mover
advantage. The time is now to reach mobile shoppers.
Make sure paid inventory listings are optimized for mobile
Look for opportunities to reach shoppers across screens – desktop, tablet and smartphone
Take your website mobile and be sure all ads click-through to a mobile ready landing page or
you’re wasting your dollars
Have a presence on sites that reach shoppers at critical points of consideration on the lot
20
21.
22. Give your showroom a mobile tune-up
A mobile optimized showroom allows you to provide better service and
separate yourself from the competition.
Give shoppers a consistent experience by aligning your in-store pitch and offers with digital
information they are finding on their phones
Teach your sales staff about mobile shopping behavior
Provide free Wi-Fi in the showroom and on your lot
Use tablets to engage shoppers in the sales process and help them compare options
22
23.
24. Standout with mobile shoppers
Know what content catches the eye of mobile shoppers to increase
consideration and conversion.
Use special offers to communicate incentives and deals that can lure savvy mobile shoppers
to your lot
Get your reputation up to speed – mobile shoppers seek reviews and quality can set you
apart
Prominently promote important information such as address phone numbers and hours of
service as sometimes shoppers are just searching for your store
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25. Go mobile tips from you
Be sure to test all mobile sites regularly with different
cell phone models and carriers to be sure that all
visitors have full functionality. – Muhammad, Ohio
Check your company
website on mobile
devices to make sure
your mobile customers
are seeing what you
want them to see. Nichole, MI
Everyone lives on their mobile
devices now, so make sure
when you email your customers
you format it so that it is easy
for them to read on their phone.
– Tim, IL
Make sure your text is
resized to be readable
w/out pinch and zoom.
The less pinching and
zooming, the more
pleasurable to browse
through it. – Eric, Georgia
While customers are waiting for
finance, service, etc. give them an
iPad or mobile device to put in a
review about their experience on
Cars.com! – Brandon, OH
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26. WHERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION:
Today’s Presentation:
Automotive News Archive: www.autonews.com/carscomwebinar
Navigating Mobile Marketing Guide:
http://dealeradvantage.cars.com