The car buying process today is unrecognizable compared to 20, 10, or even five years ago. Between new technological advances and evolving customer interests, more and more car buyers are turning to online sources for researching and purchasing vehicles.
Dealerships must adapt and respond to these changes to remain competitive in this car buying landscape. The steps in the car buying customer journey remain largely the same, but customers are progressing through those phases in new ways.
The Shift to Online Car Buying
There was a time not so long ago when hardly anyone would have been receptive to the idea of buying a vehicle online. Today, however, 90% of car shoppers prefer buying from a car dealership where they can initiate the buying process online1.
Starting their research online allows shoppers at the top of the funnel to become more informed and cut down on time spent at the dealership. They can browse vehicle options, compare features, and get a sense of what their preferred vehicles cost — all from the comfort of their own homes.
Many car buyers don’t stop at online research, either. Increasingly, car shoppers are willing to buy vehicles completely online, with about 30% interested in buying their next vehicle entirely online2.
That said, many shoppers prefer a hybrid approach to the car shopping journey: conducting online research but completing their vehicle purchase in person. Some of the possible concerns for car shoppers considering online vehicle purchases include the following:
- Not being able to test drive the vehicle first
- The cost of shipping the vehicle to the buyer
- Damage or unsatisfactory vehicle condition upon delivery
- The returns process, if any, for cars that don’t meet expectations upon delivery
Savvy dealerships are addressing these concerns to help convince car shoppers to buy from their online showrooms. Some dealerships, for example, offer free home deliveries when shoppers buy cars online. Others post videos of staff test-driving vehicles and showing 360° views of the interiors and exteriors of the cars.
Creating this video content isn’t just about splashy marketing — 75% of car buyers watch videos during the buying process, often discovering vehicles they hadn’t previously considered purchasing2.
Trends Currently Shaping the Car Buying Market
Auto dealerships must stay on top of car buying trends if they hope to beat out competitors and continue attracting customers. These are some of the current trends shaping the online car buying market that you should be aware of.
Mobile Online Research and Car Buying
Almost everyone has a smartphone in their pocket these days, and online car buyers are increasingly using them to research and purchase vehicles. Car shoppers spend an average of nearly 14 hours researching online, with about a third of that time spent on a mobile device3.
All that time spent researching means that car buyers in 2025 are nearly ready to complete a purchase by the time they visit a dealership, if they go to any dealerships at all. The average buyer today only visits about 1.4 dealerships before buying, compared to 4.5 dealerships 10 years ago4. Your online presence may be your only chance to make a good impression on potential customers and persuade them to choose your dealership over your competitors.
Concerns About Tariffs
Economic uncertainty and vehicle tariffs have left shoppers concerned about car prices. Around 11% of active car shoppers say tariffs are the reason why they haven’t bought a vehicle yet in 2025, while others cited waiting to see a good offer or for pricing to come down5. Approximately 70% of consumers surveyed report planning to keep their current vehicle longer5. Price remains the second most important factor for shoppers in selecting a brand for their next vehicle, behind product quality6.
Increased Focus on Marketing Personalization
With the breadth of available customer data, from social media interactions to web activity, dealerships can develop more targeted marketing efforts based on their potential customers’ level of commitment to making a purchase. Customers today expect personalized experiences, so the current trend is developing customized offers and marketing for online car shoppers.
As artificial intelligence software grows more commonplace, dealerships may rely on AI to make personalized recommendations to shoppers, implement dynamic pricing, and answer basic customer questions through chatbots2.
3 Tips for Meeting Your Customers Where They Are
As a business, you can’t expect customers to just come to you. Instead, you need to meet them where they are to give your dealership the best chance of success. Apply these three tips on car merchandising to connect with customers where they are, both online and in person.
1. Use Videos
Every dealership owner can tell you the value of a great car photograph, but strong video content is even more powerful. If you aren’t already, start developing video marketing content to post on your website and social media. You can add video into your email marketing campaigns, too, making your messages more engaging.
These videos will inspire trust and help convince potential customers to look through your inventory. Not only will you help these site visitors narrow down their car choices, but you can also steer them toward your dealership over others by providing them with a high-quality online experience.
2. Emphasize Customer Reviews
Customer reviews and testimonials are powerful, both for online and in-person car shoppers. They show potential customers that your dealership is trustworthy and pleasant to work with.
If you don’t have recent testimonials available, contact previous customers to see if they’ll share their thoughts. Try sending follow-up emails after each sale or using direct mail campaigns to prompt them to share a review. Have these reviews available on your website, social media pages, and Google Business Profiles.
3. Rely on Data for Insights
Data is an invaluable tool for informing your business strategies and sales efforts. Review data from your website, social media pages, and in-person sources, such as foot traffic or total sales. Look for patterns in this data to get a sense of where your dealership is gaining and losing ground.
For example, the data will indicate whether your website is performing well or if you need to make some improvements to attract and keep online customers. You can even examine the number of online interactions a customer makes before visiting in person for a test drive or purchase. Integrating your CRM, DMS, and other software systems with your marketing tools can help you consolidate all your data and derive valuable insights.
Deliver the Experience 2025 Online Car Buyers Want
The trend in recent years has been toward more online car buying, and all signs indicate that this trend is going to continue. Now is the time to adapt and make sure your dealership delivers an online shopping experience tailored to shoppers’ new preferences.
ACV MAX can help you make that happen. With ACV MAX’s intuitive vehicle merchandising tools, you can engage customers with SEO vehicle descriptions, vehicle listings syndicated to hundreds of sites, and integrations with your other automotive merchandising tools.
Schedule a demo today to see how you can update your dealership to draw in online car buyers in 2025.
Sources:
- (9 August 2024). 90% of Car Shoppers Prefer a Dealership Where They Can Start the Buying Process Online. Porch Group Media. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://porchgroupmedia.com/blog/90-car-shoppers-prefer-dealership-where-they-can-start-buying-process-online/
- (30 April 2025). 50+ Online Car Buying Statistics Shaping 2025 and Beyond. Autokunbo. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://autokunbo.com/50-online-car-buying-statistics-shaping-2025-and-beyond/
- Andersen, D. (3 March 2025). 38 Statistics Automotive Marketers Need to Know in 2025. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://www.invoca.com/blog/automotive-marketing-statistics
- (13 May 2025). What Car Buyers Expect from Dealership Websites in 2025. SpaceAuto. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://space.auto/what-car-buyers-expect-from-dealership-websites-in-2025/
- Fischer, J. (28 May 2025). Car Buyer Survey Reveals How Drivers Are Navigating Tariffs in 2025. CarEdge. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://caredge.com/guides/car-buyer-survey-spring-2025
- Robinson, R. (2025). 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study. Deloitte. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/retail-distribution/global-automotive-consumer-study.html#banner
