Survey: 76% of Consumers Visit Dealership, Automaker Web Sites

SAN MATEO, Calif. (March 24, 2005) -- According to a recent study by Keynote Systems, 58 percent of consumers prefer to research vehicles online. Of that number, 76 percent said when vehicle shopping they will visit an automaker or a dealership Web site.

As for third party Web sites such as Kelley Blue Book, AutoTrader.com, cars.com and Edmunds.com, the study found that 65 percent of consumers select them when doing online research. The company also discovered that only 53 percent of consumers turn to newspapers to learn more about vehicles.

When consumers choose a Web site for research, they are more concerned with search and comparison functionality than vehicle prices, explained Keynote's executives.

"Consumers are using the Web as their primary research vehicle when shopping for a new or used car," said Bonny Brown, director of research and public services at Keynote.

"And because the Web is first and foremost a research tool in purchasing a car, consumers want strong search and comparison functions on auto sites," she continued.

In addition to other findings, the study identified that slightly more than 35 percent of consumers expressed a potential interest in purchasing a vehicle via the Web, with 20 percent willing to submit a quote request online.

Finally, of those questioned, one in four said they are most frustrated by not knowing who receives information provided during an online quote process at a dealership's Web site.