OEM Web Sites Catching Up With Independent Web Sites
October 10, 2007
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WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. - The strategy on the part of automakers to invest heavily in their own Web sites is showing big dividends. According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 New Autoshopper.com Study released Wednesday, OEM Web sites are gaining ground on independent Web sites, as the percentage of new-vehicle shoppers who initially visit manufacturer sites achieves parity.
According to officials, the study finds that 47 percent of new-vehicle buyers using the Internet in their shopping process visit an independent site when initiating research for their new vehicle, while 46 percent first visit a manufacturer site.
J.D. Power officials pointed out that this marks a substantial shift from 2003, when 62 percent of new-vehicle online shoppers first visited an independent Web site, compared with only 36 percent initially visiting an auto manufacturer Web site.
"As automotive manufacturers have steadily pulled advertising dollars out of traditional media and redirected them toward digital media and search engine marketing, manufacturer Web site visitation has increased," noted Steve Witten, executive director of marketing/media research at J.D. Power and Associates.
"Since the automotive industry makes some of the largest advertising expenditures in the United States, a small shift in the percentage of marketing dollars to digital media has quickly leveled the visitation share between manufacturer and independent sites," Witten added.
However, the study revealed that despite a steady decline in visitation rates to independent sites, some of which offer newer vehicle selector tools and improved vehicle pricing estimates, they remain the most useful type of site.
"Third-party sites will always have a key role in the automotive shopping process due to their independent nature," Witten observed. "However, independent sites may need to investigate the areas of navigation, speed and, most importantly, content offered in order to retain favorable shopper ratings and increase visitation."
The 2007 New Autoshopper.com Study is based on the self-reported shopping habits of 29,272 new-vehicle buyers. The study was fielded from May to July 2007.
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