Are car salesmen heading for oblivion?

28th January 2017 |   Journal Of Sales Transformation

Could 2017 be the year car sales head out of the showroom and go online? That’s the speculation in some quarters, although commentators suggest it will take a couple of generations.

Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car? has been quoted by the BBC as saying: “The traditional way of buying a car will gradually shrink and, in a couple of generations, you can see a time when there is no need for a car salesman.”

Online

Hyundai UK recently launched Click to Buy, which it says is the first platform that allows customers to purchase a car entirely online. Click to Buy enables users to configure their chosen vehicle, obtain a trade-in price for their old car, arrange finance and pay a deposit from their PC or mobile device.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen’s Danish business has released a promotional film for its online sales platform; this allows consumers to buy the “up!” model with a single online payment, and also promises delivery in ten business days.