Insights To Make Your Holiday Season Very Merry Indeed

Your Dealership Window Goes Digital

Multi screen shopping is the latest trend, and is the method mass amounts of people will use to fill the bottom of their Christmas trees and in your case, their driveways.

In the past decking out your dealerships windows like massive glass advertisements and littering your showroom with holiday cheer was sure to draw those holiday customers looking to get themselves or their special someone the greatest gift Santa never brings… a new car.

Your window has now moved from your 15,000 square foot dealership on Main Street to your consumers hands. Mobile devices connect users to the web and allow them to shop at thousands of stores with a single touch.

Rather than driving past your lot, consumers now get their first impression of you online, they are, researching, exploring, and discovering your dealership while they are sipping a cup of hot chocolate on their tablet.

The Internet Is The Top Resource For Holiday Shopping, Period

2013 Holiday Season:

• The internet will be used 2X as much as TV or catalogs.
• 3 out of 4 consumers say an online resource will influence the brands they buy and where they buy them.
• 4 of 5 people consider the internet the single most “useful” resource for shopping.

This translates to results:

• 76% of smartphone owners plan to use their devices for holiday browsing
• 1 in 4 smartphone users will use their device to make a purchase, 21% more than last year.
• Nearly 50% will research on their phones and then buy in-store.

Based on 2012 Google data, mobile holiday shopping is expected to spike on the weekends. So make your Saturdays count. Shoppers are also equally as likely to use smartphones while shopping in-store as shopping online, so keep your bases covered and reach consumers in every way imaginable.

Have a Multi-Screen Strategy

80% will use more than one device when holiday shopping

84% will start shopping on one device and finish on another

The path to purchase is expanding, no longer are customers walking in the dealership and walking out with a vehicle. They are in a handful of places both online and physically so deciphering their entire path to purchase is essential for your holiday success.

The millennial generation plans to use the web and mobile more than any other demographic.

A whopping 95% plan to use the internet as a holiday shopping resource!

and Ho Ho Hold the Phone 88% are planning to use their smartphone as their holiday shopping device.

1 in 3 also plan to make a purchase on their smartphone up 28% from last year.

But thats not all, 30% plan to research and purchase on their smartphone vs 20% ages 35+, while 40% plan to research or purchase on smartphone while IN STORE vs.  23% ages 35+

Starting Early and Never Stopping

88% of millennials plan to shop Thanksgiving Weekend. However 41% wont finish buying until mid-December with 25% waiting to the last viable minute.

So start marketing early, give your customers deals and incentives early and motivate them all season long. Women are much more likely to search for that great deal while young adults have more to spend so adapt your plan accordingly.

Open Market

2 out of 3 shoppers don’t have their minds made up on what they are purchasing and over 50% are willing to purchase from a retailer they haven’t considered in the past!

This is MONUMENTAL. The market is open, go jingle balls-to-the-wall. Have your sales team promote your product like never before and make your marketing strategy holiday focused to end the year with a bang. With customers not staying as loyal to certain brands, this is the perfect time to swoop them off their feet and drop them in your brand new vehicle.

Discounts / Spending

All these deals and sale “days” have made consumers expect discounts with nearly 81% of shoppers reporting they will rely on them in some form or another. Women are also more open to new retailers and they love deals and coupons so start early with them. 35-49 year olds plan to spend the most this holiday season, but the 25-34 age gap has increased their holiday budgets by 19%, so double down on these holiday lovers.

Utilize these statistics to make the most out of you holiday season and hAPPy holidays from the team here at AutoMotion.

Resource: http://www.google.com/think/articles/2013-holiday-shopper-intention...