Next wave of car buyers set to burst

Car customers will be more ready to buy than any for a generation. That is the view of What Car?, which is giving dealerships free access to its New Car Buying platform until the end of September to help them take advantage of this expected surge.

The New Car Buying platform offers franchised dealers and manufacturers across the UK access to its in-market audience of new car prospects. More than a third intend to buy within four weeks according to the latest What Car? consumer insights.

With retailers set to reopen on 1 June, more than 750 dealerships have signed up to the offer, with a further 250 in the pipeline.

Rachael Prasher, managing director of Haymarket Automotive, said: “Leads will be the lifeblood of a recovering industry and a thriving marketplace means a thriving car industry. Whatever the shape of the return is in the coming months, we understand that our business will only bounce back if the automotive industry does the same; giving free access to our new car enquiries is one way in which we can help.

“Our market intelligence suggests that more than a third of in-market buyers intend to buy within four weeks, with many significantly advanced in their research. Already in the past few weeks we have seen a significant spike in users of New Car Buying, taking enquiries back to the levels of early March.”

What Car? polling suggests 33% of prospective new car buyers do not want to wait more than four weeks to receive their new car, while 68% want to buy in person from a dealer, but respecting social distancing measures.

Prasher said: “The first wave of customers are likely to be the most qualified and ready to buy than the industry has seen in a generation. They are going to be impatient too. How they are managed from the first call is going to be more critical than ever to turning interest into sales.”