Motor retailers missing vital opportunity to connect with female car buyers

Motor retailers could be missing a key opportunity to communicate effectively with female car buyers at a crucial point in the purchasing journey, according to new CitNOW research. A nationwide survey commissioned by the digital communications specialists has found that men are almost twice as likely to receive a personalised video when buying a car.
  • Men far more likely than women to receive a personalised video when buying a car
  • Half of female car buyers would be more confident purchasing a car if they received a pre-recorded or live video
  • Record 3.2 million videos created by retailers in Q1; 84% of consumers who receive a video say it is a valuable part of the car buying process
  • New CitNOW report highlights how retailers must adapt their video communications according to customer preferences

The research also revealed that half of female car buyers (50%) would be more likely to purchase a car if they had received a pre-recorded video or participated in a live video chat. Nearly half of women (47%) said personalisation was one of the most valued elements of video communication, representing a missed opportunity for retailers to engage effectively with a key demographic.

“With showrooms now open across the UK, retailers should still be utilising their new or enhanced skills in digital communication to give car buyers the best of both the physical and digital worlds. Customers now expect a choice in which elements of their car buying process they wish to conduct in person or online, and video enables an effective way for retailers to engage with customers in a transparent and personal way,” comments Carol Fairchild, Chief Customer Officer at CitNOW. “Our research found that 84% of all consumers who received a video when buying a car felt it to be a valuable part of their experience, with female buyers ranking personalised interaction as the biggest reason for this.

“With a record three million videos created in the first quarter of 2021 and more than 1.2 million videos created in March alone, it’s clear that video is embedded as part of the customer communication journey, helping to build relationships and drive sales even when the customer is remote. Our advice is to follow up every lead with a video – live or pre-recorded – and go the extra mile to personalise it to maximise the sales opportunity.”

Photo of Carol Fairchild, CCO at CitNOW

Following its poll of 1,000 consumers, CitNOW also found that more than two fifths of female car buyers (43%) said that they would be willing to travel further to a car dealership if the dealer sent a personalised video of the specific car they were interested in. It also found that women are more likely to buy online than men if they received a walkaround video (48% for women versus 39% for men). With a surge in consumer interest expected as showrooms reopen this month, CitNOW is recommending retailers increase engagement using video to enable them to quickly and efficiently respond to the growing volume of customer enquiries, and continue to remain competitive as customer’s buying habits change.

To see more findings from CitNOW’s recent research survey, download CitNOW’s new report, Accelerating the Digital Customer Experience.