The CarGurus Shopper by the Numbers
%
22
33
63
of CarGurus shoppers say dealership reputation and reviews are the most important factors
to consider when choosing a car
have a total household income of $75,000 or more
13
1
88
%
21
80
of CarGurus’ email leads go to Fair, Good, or Great deals
27%
66%
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.
average test drives
82% decide on new/ used/CPO before they start shopping -- and only 9% change their mind
of CarGurus shoppers say dealership reputation and reviews are the most important factors to consider when choosing a car
Transparency Drives Their Search
of CarGurus shoppers always look at dealers' reviews before contacting them
22
56
"
17
Find out how shoppers are connecting with dealers beyond email leads
CarGurus shoppers are decision makers and auto intenders who have the means to buy a new or used vehicle.
20
0%
First Tracked Action
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.
The CarGurus Shopper by the Numbers
of CarGurus shoppers leave a 4-star review or better
22
Auto shopping
Search
Auto information
OEMs
Parts service or repair
Dealerships
Industry press
18
of CarGurus shoppers feel that knowing what a car is really worth makes them more confident to buy
40%
of CarGurus' monthly unique visitors are on a mobile device
Contact Us
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.
%
are the sole head of household
25%
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.
23
%
%
15
88
Gender
50%
26
37
10%
55-64
%
20%
15
16
CarGurus helps dealers connect with shoppers across stages, devices, demographics, and more
%
100%
68
42% know the exact make and model they want before they start shopping
25
Closing the Deal
22
9
26
Transparency Drives their Search
24
Join the thousands of dealers who are already connecting with these shoppers on CarGurus
15
25
11
The In-Person Visit Is Still Vital
–
10
4
They Choose Dealerships They Trust
9
Last Tracked Action
7
11
%
1. Google Analytics (internal data), Q3 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 Q3 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, three-month average for quarter, Q1 2018, U.S.
Dealers must win online to win the in-person visit.
30
%
Dealer Resource Center
have a graduate degree
CarGurus
35-44
Contact Us
are not interested in haggling over a vehicle
They’re Big Researchers
First, Midpoint, and Last Tracked Activity
in Online Auto Shopping Journey
2
20%
graduated from college
Privacy Policy
of CarGurus shoppers say reviews
are important to them when deciding what to buy
%
1.6
76%
61%
of all automotive searches come from a mobile device and some of the top mobile searches are related to dealerships
Understanding
the CarGurus Shopper
3.0
Throughout the car buying journey, CarGurus shoppers have access to more info than ever
CarGurus shoppers are armed with information and are serious about making a purchase
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.
As CarGurus shoppers narrow their search, they engage with sites that bring transparency to the purchase process
2X
Making Connections
14
Find out how shoppers are connecting with dealers beyond email leads
80
%
of CarGurus shoppers say reviews are important to them when deciding what to buy
60%
51%
42%
34%
25%
23%
15%
%
of shoppers visit CarGurus to ensure the price
of the vehicle is fair
60%
+
of CarGurus shoppers visit
at least once per week
72
* as compared to AutoTrader, Cars.com,
and TrueCar.com, excludes affiliate sites
Dealers with five star reviews receive 2x more connections than dealers with one star reviews
5
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.
23
The In-Person Visit Is Still Vital
%
Building Awareness
68% of CarGurus shoppers always look at dealers' reviews before contacting them
of shoppers visit CarGurus to find listings in their area
2X
They Choose Dealerships They Trust
18-24
wouldn’t buy a used car without third-party price validation
United States — 2018
are interested in getting a fair price on the vehicle they want
74
The CarGurus shopper is more efficient and better informed, which makes for a more confident, ready-to-buy customer for dealers.
56
% of purchases within a week
Did you know that 95% of car shoppers use digital information, with 47% beginning their research on a third-party site?
70
56
80%+
20
%
30%
%
18
20
of CarGurus shoppers leave a 4-star review or better
2
of CarGurus shoppers always look at dealers' reviews before contacting them
75%
80
46% know the exact make they want before they start shopping
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.
of CarGurus shoppers say dealership reputation and reviews are the most important factors to consider when choosing a car
and the Disconnected Buying Journey
65+
The CarGurus Shopper by the Numbers
Average number of minutes visitors spend on CarGurus across mobile and desktop — #1 amongst major competitors
%
0%
45-54
68
16
15
of CarGurus visitors plan
to return again
Select each tab below.
2X
25
of CarGurus shoppers leave
a 4-star review or better
12
shoppers visit our site every month.
of shoppers look for pricing content in their research
How Shoppers Are Connecting with Dealers
24.1
37%
Price Validation is Key
3
15
The CarGurus Shopper by the Numbers
Why Mobile Matters
0%
3
60
A focus on transparency and relevance has made CarGurus
the #1 most visited auto shopping site in the U.S.
%
5
average dealerships visited
CarGurus Helps Dealers Connect with Shoppers
16
Find out why mobile matters
Auto shopping
Search
OEMs
Auto information
Parts service or repair
Dealerships
Industry press
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."
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.
The CarGurus Shopper by the Numbers
80% of CarGurus shoppers won’t buy a car without transparent, third-party
pricing data
70%
of CarGurus shoppers say reviews are important to them when deciding what to buy
6
2
Armed with information, CarGurus shoppers are lower funnel and eager to buy:
%
%
2
+%
36%
22%
14%
13%
9%
4%
2%
5
Third-party auto shopping sites are used by the most shoppers at all stages of the digital journey.
48% plan to purchase or lease a vehicle within the next month
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.
Dealers with five star reviews receive
2x more connections than dealers
with one star reviews
%
What do they look like?
%
Find out why mobile matters
plan to purchase or lease a vehicle within the next three months
60%
of mobile-first consumers know exactly what car they want before going to a dealer
They’re Big Researchers
The CarGurus Shopper by the Numbers
million
25
50+ million connections were made on CarGurus listings in 2017.
Reviews Build Trust
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.
Age
Dealers with five star reviews receive 2x more connections than dealers with one star reviews
%
5
%
29
The CarGurus Shopper by the Numbers
Auto shopping
Search
Auto information
OEMs
Parts service or repair
Dealerships
Industry press
The CarGurus Shopper by the Numbers
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.
50%
of monthly unique visitors
shop exclusively on CarGurus
%
90%
50
2.1
62
Joe Porrini, Owner & General Manager, Ridesmart Auto
20
All Competitors
Mid-point*
8
The CarGurus Shopper by the Numbers
of shoppers visit CarGurus to research and compare different models
19
15
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.
35%
24%
14%
11%
7%
5%
3%
average dealers contacted
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.
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.
2
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.
The CarGurus Shopper by the Numbers
64
10%
2
%
To learn more, call (855) 352-2795
or fill out the form below
Learn More
18-34
of CarGurus shoppers say that having confidence they’ll be treated fairly influences where they’ll purchase a car
CarGurus shoppers spend an immense amount of time conducting research, but the dealership visit still matters
© 2018 CarGurus, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
88
5
Dealer Resource Center
