The Cobalt Group, in partnership with Yahoo! and R.L. Polk & Co.,
conducted the 2007 Dealer eBusiness Performance Study: The New Buying
Influences- to better understand current automotive dealership Internet
lead handling and the impact of search and consumer-generated media
on vehicle shopping and purchase behavior. Using a variety of research
methods, the companies set out to answer the following questions:
How are consumers utilizing the Internet, search and online
consumer-generated media to shop and select a dealership?
How do online dealership reviews and reputation, lead response and
professionalism of sales staff impact consumer purchase decisions?
What are the current dealership eBusiness performance levels?
How much Internet lost opportunity occurs at dealerships and what
are the causes?
What are high-performing dealerships doing to meet consumer
expectations and successfully convert Internet opportunities?
The result is a comprehensive report on the state of online car shopping today, and is meant to inform and guide automotive manufacturers, dealer groups and dealership employees on the current state of the industry, important trends and what they can do to maximize business opportunities in an Internet-driven marketplace.
I led this year-long effort that combined five separate studies into one comprehensive report. It was the third in a series of industry reports on the state of eBusines performance that I directed while at the Cobalt Group.