The online world is nothing new for the generations who grew up immersed in it. Most customers are now coming to expect that any kind of retail experience can be offeredinstantly through online interactions. Shoppers who never knew the world before the internet came online are already fluent in how to find everything they want, but there’s still a demographic that’s new to the online retail world.
People in the baby boomer generation and older seniors are more likely to have resisted going online for a longer period of time than those belonging to other consumer groups. They are also more resistant to buying products online, including vehicles – but, increasingly, this is all changing.
Today, more and more seniors are getting online out of necessity. When any people, regardless of demographic, realize the value of researching and purchasing online, they tend to quickly overcome any barriers that previously kept them away.
The result is that, despite common expectations that everyone today is well-versed in online shopping, there’s a current rise in internet users who interact differently than the usual online customer. This group represents a growing market of new people who are eager to interact with your website and help improve your car dealership sales leads – but in order to capitalize on these sales, it’s vital that youpay attention to how their online interactions differ from other consumers, along with how you can use new online services to help facilitate their transition to online shopping.
The reasons that some people have resisted making online purchases for so longare not surprising: older shoppers have spent more years in the habit of buying items at a physical store, negotiating prices in person with salespeople and learning more about products through conversations. So part of the resistance is that old habits are hard to break, but the other part involves the old adage that if something ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
For anyone who’s new to interacting online, everything starts with the ability to easily communicate with instant messaging. An online chat service is an enormous benefit to new internet users because it’s easy to use and allows for the opportunity to engage in conversations, just like being in person.
Customers who are used to getting help from a salesperson as soon as they enter a dealership will appreciate being greeted with a welcome message, giving them an opportunity to ask questions about your inventory or about how to access other online services, such as financing and insurance forms.
A professional online chat service designed specifically for automotive can also connect seamlessly to other platforms such as Facebook marketplace, SMS texting, or even email to keep the conversation going and allow you to build more valuable leads for your dealership. Increasing the capabilities of your online dealership platform is vital to generating new revenue because different demographics use the internet in different ways. Those in generation X tend to use online messaging more often, while baby boomers and seniors use email more frequently than other groups.
When you’re investing in an online chat service for your dealership, be sure to find one that’s specifically designed for automotive and has the ability to deliver impressive interactive experiences to new customers. The needs of new online shoppers can be unpredictable, so add dealership chat software to your website to prepare it for any possibility.
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