United States — 2019

The In-Person Visit Is Still Vital

They Choose Dealerships They Trust

Transparency Drives their Search

They’re Big Researchers

The CarGurus Shopper by the Numbers

CarGurus Helps Dealers Connect with Shoppers

CarGurus helps dealers connect with shoppers across stages, devices, demographics, and more

and the Disconnected Buying Journey

Understanding the CarGurus Shopper

Making Connections

Shoppers are drawn to transparency, spending hours online comparing pricing information and reading dealership reviews before making a purchase. Providing the information shoppers need to make an informed purchase builds trust and influences their decision to choose your dealership.

Closing the Deal

Convenience and control drive the purchase process for CarGurus shoppers – they do their research in advance and are ready to buy when they step on your lot. And for customers struggling with the disconnected shopping experience, delivering a simple, pressure-free purchase process helps win the sale.

Building Awareness

The modern car buying journey has become a scattered set of experiences, full of starts, stops, and resets. Reaching shoppers early in their journey and online is key to driving visits to your dealership – and, ultimately, more sales.

wouldn’t buy a used car without third-party price validation

are interested in getting a fair price on the vehicle they want

are not interested in haggling over a vehicle

The CarGurus shopper is more efficient and better informed, which makes for a more confident, ready-to-buy customer for dealers.

27%

37%

100%

75%

50%

25%

% of purchases within a week

All Competitors

CarGurus

And, they’re visiting CarGurus right before making a purchase – the share of visits within a week of purchase is 1.4x higher on CarGurus than it is on competitor sites.

plan to purchase or lease a vehicle within the next three months

have a total household income of $75,000 or more

are the sole head of household

CarGurus shoppers are decision makers and auto intenders who have the means to buy a new or used vehicle.

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

Gender

graduated from college

have a graduate degree

10%

65+

55-64

45-54

35-44

25-34

18-24

Age

20%

What do they look like?

shoppers visit our site every month.

CarGurus shoppers are armed with information and are serious about making a purchase

million

33

The CarGurus Shopper by the Numbers

76%

of mobile-first consumers know exactly what car they want before going to a dealer

of CarGurus' monthly unique visitors are on a mobile device

80%+

of all automotive searches come from a mobile device and some of the top mobile searches are related to dealerships

60%

Why Mobile Matters

Auto shopping Search OEMs Auto information Parts service or repair Dealerships Industry press

36% 22% 14% 13% 9% 4% 2%

Auto shopping Search Auto information OEMs Parts service or repair Dealerships Industry press

60% 51% 42% 34% 25% 23% 15%

Auto shopping Search Auto information OEMs Parts service or repair Dealerships Industry press

35% 24% 14% 11% 7% 5% 3%

Find out why mobile matters

Third-party auto shopping sites are used by the most shoppers at all stages of the digital journey.

Last Tracked Action

Mid-point*

First Tracked Action

Select each tab below.

First, Midpoint, and Last Tracked Activity in Online Auto Shopping Journey

Consumers are increasingly turning to mobile to find answers fast. From researching vehicles to locating dealerships to comparing prices while on the dealership lot, mobile plays a huge role in the modern auto shopper’s journey.

Did you know that 95% of car shoppers use digital information, with 47% beginning their research on a third-party site?

Across searches, clicks, website visits, online video views, and more, the average car purchase involves 900 digital interactions. And CarGurus’ research found that car shoppers engaged with an average of 12 automotive sites throughout their shopping process, including shopping sites, OEMs, automotive info sites, and more -- not even including their interactions on social media.

48% plan to purchase or lease a vehicle within the next month

42% know the exact make and model they want before they start shopping

46% know the exact make they want before they start shopping

82% decide on new/ used/CPO before they start shopping -- and only 9% change their mind

Armed with information, CarGurus shoppers are lower funnel and eager to buy:

Throughout the car buying journey, CarGurus shoppers have access to more info than ever

They’re Big Researchers

* as compared to AutoTrader, Cars.com, and TrueCar.com, excludes affiliate sites

of monthly unique visitors shop exclusively on CarGurus

61%

In the research stage of the car buying journey, digital shoppers spend an average of 13 hours online conducting research, finding specific cars, comparing vehicle prices, and reading dealership reviews. CarGurus gives every car on our site a deal rating, and sorts search results with the best deals on top. Because it’s easy to find great deals from top-rated dealers, shoppers engage with our site.

of CarGurus visitors plan to return again

of CarGurus shoppers visit at least once per week

90%

66%

Average number of minutes visitors spend on CarGurus across mobile and desktop — #1 amongst major competitors

of shoppers visit CarGurus to ensure the price of the vehicle is fair

of shoppers visit CarGurus to research and compare different models

of shoppers visit CarGurus to find listings in their area

A focus on transparency and relevance has made CarGurus the #1 most visited auto shopping site in the U.S.

As CarGurus shoppers narrow their search, they engage with sites that bring transparency to the purchase process

Transparency Drives Their Search

Shoppers call dealerships to find out if the car they’re interested in is in stock and to get information about the dealership — 25% of CarGurus shoppers say their preferred contact method is the phone.

Shoppers click on maps to locate the dealership and prepare for an in-person visit. Over 50% of CarGurus shoppers say they would drop in at a dealership without contacting the dealership in advance.

How Shoppers Are Connecting with Dealers

Shoppers click on dealer websites to learn more about specific vehicles and the dealership in general. Web clicks are the second most popular way for CarGurus shoppers to connect with dealers.

Reviews Build Trust

Dealers with five star reviews receive 2x more connections than dealers with one star reviews

of CarGurus shoppers say reviews are important to them when deciding what to buy

of CarGurus shoppers leave a 4-star review or better

of CarGurus shoppers say dealership reputation and reviews are the most important factors to consider when choosing a car

of shoppers look for pricing content in their research

of CarGurus shoppers feel that knowing what a car is really worth makes them more confident to buy

of CarGurus shoppers say that having confidence they’ll be treated fairly influences where they’ll purchase a car

of CarGurus’ email leads go to Fair, Good, or Great deals

Price Validation is Key

68% of CarGurus shoppers always look at dealers' reviews before contacting them

80% of CarGurus shoppers won’t buy a car without transparent, third-party pricing data

Find out how shoppers are connecting with dealers beyond email leads

50+ million connections were made on CarGurus listings in 2017.

While many people who purchase a vehicle fill out a lead form, CarGurus shoppers interact with dealers in other ways, making connections geared toward purchasing a car.

They Choose Dealerships They Trust

average test drives

average dealerships visited

average dealers contacted

1.6

2.1

3.0

–

Joe Porrini, Owner & General Manager, Ridesmart Auto

If the consumer can come in armed with information, knowing what the value is, it’s going to make them feel a lot better. It’s going to put them at ease, and you’re going to have a better chance to close them."

The CarGurus shopper is well-informed by the time they reach the lot, and they’re still accessing information when they arrive – 60% of shoppers use a mobile device at the dealership to conduct research. As a result, shoppers who make it on to the lot are yours to lose. It’s up to you to provide a simple, pressure-free purchase process and close the sale.

While today's shoppers are visiting fewer dealerships, more than 95% of purchases still happen at the dealership. To get shoppers into your dealership to close that deal, you need to reach them where they’re spending their time: online.

Dealers must win online to win the in-person visit.

CarGurus shoppers spend an immense amount of time conducting research, but the dealership visit still matters

The In-Person Visit Is Still Vital

To learn more, call (855) 352-2795 or fill out the form below

Join the thousands of dealers who are already connecting with these shoppers on CarGurus

CarGurus’ focus on transparency translates perfectly to the on-the-lot experience. Our search rankings are based on deal rating, which makes it easy for shoppers to get the facts they need to feel confident about purchasing a vehicle. The information that CarGurus shoppers gather online isn’t just helping shape which vehicle they’ll choose, it’s driving them to your dealership to make the purchase.

1. Google Analytics (internal data), Q4 2018 2. ComScore Plan Metrix Desktop December 2017 3. CG Purchase Intent Study, June 2017, n=1767 4. GfK CarGurus Automobile Purchase Journey, March 2018, n=181 CarGurus.com visits, n=721 competitor visits (competitive set includes AutoTrader, Cars.com, Edmunds.com, KBB.com, TrueCar.com), passive digital tracking of participants who purchased an automobile in the past four months 5. CG Consumer Segmentation Survey 2017, n=661 6. Google/ComScore, "Automotive Shopper Study", U.S., n=3,165 consumers 18+ who purchased a vehicle in the past three months, Jan. 2017 7. PCG, Auto Shopper Influencer Study, 2016 8. Think With Google, 2016 9. GfK CarGurus Automobile Purchase Journey, March 2018, n=241 10. J.D. Power, New Autoshopper Study, 2017 11. Think With Google, 2017 12. eMarketer, The US Auto Industry 2016 13. ComScore Media Metrix, Multi Platform December 2017, U.S. 14. CarGurus-run Google Survey, February 2018, n=529 15. GfK CarGurus Auto Shopping Study, March 2018, n=3008 16. CarGurus 2016 Q4 Shopper Insight Study 17. ComScore Media Metrix, Dec 2017, total visits 18. CarGurus Shopper Insights Survey, June 2017 19. Comscore Media Metrix Audience Duplication Q4 2018, among AutoTrader, Cars.com, and TrueCar.com 20. CarGurus shopper surveys with 1K to 2K respondents 21. Automotive Website Evaluation Study, JD Power, 2017, 17,349 new car buyers or lessees within 3 years prior 22. CarGurus data, Q4 2017 23. CarGurus, January 2017 through December 2017, U.S. 24. The Drive to Decide, Google & TNS, 2016 25. AutoBuyers Path to Purchase, Google & ComScore, 2017, 1,768 new auto buyers within past 3 months, 18+ 26. Average minutes per visitor, ComScore Media Metrix® Multi Platform, Q4 2018, U.S.

Dealer Resource Center

In a disconnected journey, shoppers choose trustworthy dealerships that provide value Serious car shoppers spend a lot of time researching vehicles online, but how do shoppers choose one dealership over another? The decision is influenced by several factors, including prices and dealer reviews.

Dealer Resource Center