Potential car buyers want to test drive cars on their own and not be accompanied by sales staff.
According to research from eBay Motors Group and its Consumer Insight Panel, which surveyed 2,000 car buyers on incentives dealers can offer to boost test drive bookings, unaccompanied test drives topped the list of incentives and were favoured by a third of all buyers, although 23% appreciated having a salesperson present to answer questions.
Four in 10 buyers preferred longer test drives, with 25% wanting a car for 24 hours and 24% wanting one for a full day. Sales staff revealing any special offers available in advance was identified by 31% of buyers as another key influence on test drive conversions.
Other influencing factors were zero-excess insurance cover (22%) and the ability to negotiate a final cost beforehand (21%). Meanwhile, one in five buyers were likely to book a test drive online.
“Test drives are an integral part of the car buying experience with our research revealing how some dealers can achieve higher volumes of bookings by listening to customer needs and removing any potential friction,” said Lucy Tugby, marketing director of eBay Motors Group.
“Unaccompanied test drives were the norm during the Covid lockdowns, so processes exist to offer them again if they have been suspended. However, they are not for everyone, as nearly a quarter of buyers want a salesperson in the car to answer their questions. This demonstrates how dealers need to have a balanced approach to their test drive offerings.
“Likewise, some dealers might need to review the length of their test drives and offer longer ones. Promoting these benefits will help attract buyers to a particular dealership.
“With dealers facing the ongoing challenge of converting leads into sales, offering more flexible approaches to the traditional test drive could provide an ideal opportunity for dealers to stand out and build rapport with customers,” she said.
