J.D. Power Reports: Online Preferences Vary Among In-Market Shoppers: Meeting The Diverse Shopping Needs on OEM Sites is Critical

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., July 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- When researching vehicles on OEM websites, in-market shoppers have unique content usage behaviors that are influenced by various factors, such as desired vehicle type, shopper age and income, that can influence what content they consume when researching vehicles online, according to the J.D. Power 2014 Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study^SM—Summer (formerly MWES—Wave 2) released today.

The semi-annual study, now in its 15th year, has been redesigned to capture details around content and tool usage more precisely, measures the usefulness of automotive manufacturer websites during the new-vehicle shopping process by examining four key measures (in order of importance): information/content, appearance, navigation and speed.

The study finds that shoppers with a reported household income of $175,000 and above are more likely to use a comparison tool than shoppers with a reported household income of less than $60,000 (64% vs. 49%, respectively). Further, the study finds that Gen Y shoppers[1] use video 32 percent more often than Baby Boomers (57% vs. 43%, respectively).

Additionally, the study finds that vehicle type is a key factor that influences the kind of online content consumed by in-market shoppers. For example, pickup truck shoppers are more likely to view inventory when researching price-related information than non-pickup truck shoppers (33% vs. 19%, respectively).

"Providing the right content for shoppers is critical," said Arianne Walker, senior director, automotive media and marketing solutions at J.D. Power. "In order to stay competitive, manufacturers must offer content that matches their shoppers' unique needs and preferences across multiple areas. Doing so increases consumer satisfaction with the website experience."

ADDITIONAL KEY FINDINGS

• On average, shoppers access 6.2 areas of content or tools on OEM sites when researching a vehicle's information; 5.6 areas when researching how a vehicle looks; and 3.7 areas when researching price.
• The build and price tool is widely used on OEMs websites, with 84 percent of in-market shoppers using this tool across the website. The build and price tool also has a significant impact on satisfaction among shoppers when used to research price-related information, vehicle information (e.g., specifications and features) and research how the vehicle looks.
• In-market shoppers use a build and price tool most often to research price-related information.
• Shopping for price-related information is the least satisfying task among in-market shoppers (755 on a 1,000-point scale).

"Pricing information is the least satisfying because it is much more complex than simply providing a dollar figure," said Walker. "Although price may seem simple and straightforward, shoppers are looking for something much more.  They want to understand payment options and amounts, available discounts, financing terms, along with content that isn't explicitly price related, such as vehicle features, to help them understand the value of the vehicle they are considering.  When the OEM site meets these needs it is much more likely that an in-market shopper will take the next step and head into a dealership."

Study Rankings
Acura ranks highest (831), for a third consecutive time, followed by Mercedes-Benz (830) and Jaguar (828). Overall satisfaction with automotive brand websites averages 798.

Rankings:
Overall Customer Satisfaction Index Scores 
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)  

The J.D. Power 2014 Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study—Summer is based on responses from more than 9,800 new-vehicle shoppers who indicate they will be in the market for a new vehicle within the next 24 months. The study was fielded from May 5 through May 20, 2014.

Media Relations Contacts
Syvetril Perryman; Westlake Village, Calif.; 805-418-8103; [email protected]

About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/about-us/press-release-info 
About McGraw Hill Financial www.mhfi.com 

[1] J.D. Power defines Gen Y as those born between 1977 and 1994, and Baby Boomers as those born between 1946 and 1964.

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SOURCE J.D. Power