Warc, 31 January 2013
NEW YORK: New car shoppers are significantly more likely to
test drive a vehicle if they have had a good experience on an automaker's
website, new research has found.
The 2013 Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study, from J.D.
Power, the market researcher, measured the usefulness of automotive
manufacturer websites for shoppers, based on information and content,
navigation, appearance and speed.
It found that, among those car shoppers who said they were
'delighted' with a website, 72% said they were more likely to test drive a
vehicle as a result. But just 25% of the shoppers left 'disappointed' with a
website said the same.
"Finding the right balance of content, ease of
navigation and site speed is what ultimately drives new-vehicle shopper
satisfaction with the website," said Arianne Walker, senior director of
media & marketing solutions at J.D. Power.
"While there are some common elements across all
websites, each site should have a unique look and feel and align with the
brand's image."
A website that works well across all platforms is another
important factor, as consumers were found to be using a variety of devices to
look at sites. A large majority (92%) of new-vehicle shoppers who own a tablet,
or own both a tablet and a smartphone, expect to have the same content
available on a desktop website on all devices.
"The industry has generally chosen to maintain two
sites, rather than a third one for tablet shoppers, reducing the burden of
maintaining and keeping information updated and consistent across three
separate sites," Walker added.
Elsewhere in the J.D. Power report, Daimler's Smart brand
website was the online property ranked highest in overall satisfaction, with
sites from Jeep, Lincoln and Acura rounding out the top four.
Data sourced from J.D. Power and Associates; additional
content by Warc staff
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