Used Car Buyers Turn to Internet in Increasing Numbers
Not even ten years ago, if someone wanted to buy a used car, their first source was the classified ads in the local newspaper, or going directly to a dealer's lot. Today, however, that is no longer the case. According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Used Autoshopper.com study released today, almost one in four people looking to buy a used late-model car - 23% specifically - turned to the Internet first. That number is 44% higher than last year.
According to a report in industry authority Automotive News, consumers are increasingly turning to the 'Net to find their used cars, either via used car locators, or from auction sites.
J. D. Power research director Jon Osborn made a statement about the study's results, saying, "This is just one indication that use of the Internet is now perhaps the most efficient source for shopping for and purchasing late-model used vehicles."
Osborn went on to say that use of the Internet for used-car shopping will not only increase as the number of websites specializing in that market segment continues to grow, but that it will also expand, making better use of multimedia techniques like photos and video, as well as better inventory management software for dealers' back ends.