Study says nearly half of consumers plan to preorder their next new car
Will you preorder your next car online, and maybe even buy it fully digitally?
Caiaimage/Martin Barraud
For decades, American car sales have followed a script: Hopeful buyers head to their local dealership, stroll the aisles and aisles of shiny new sheetmetal, test-drive a couple of models, sign on the dotted line and drive home in their new vehicle. But that process is changing, according to a new study from Cars.com. Today, fully 41% of survey respondents say they plan to preorder their next vehicle. And among the 16% of shoppers questioned who actually already preordered a new vehicle, 98% enjoyed the experience and said they’d do so again.
The study suggests that the reasons for this go beyond inventory shortages wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic and supplier issues that include the semiconductor production crisis. Cars.com says “work-from-anywhere culture” and innovations in car-shopping technology — especially online purchasing are