Primary Research & Strategy

Project Title
Championing online used car purchasing for a growing urban audience
Client
Used car industry research
Category
Secondary Research, Primary Research, Strategy

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QUESTION

Research

How can used car brands differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market?

Firstly, with used car sales being historically targeted at males, we suspected there was a huge missed opportunity within this industry and were keen to learn more. Secondly we recognised that brands who focused on solutions and listening, rather than the stereotypical product and sales, would appeal to those perhaps less confident used car purchasers.

Our challenge was to identify a new target audience, learn what makes them tick, and ultimately uncover how used car brands need to reposition themselves in order to grow and overtake competitors.

We conducted in-depth secondary and primary research, speaking to nearly 1,500 UK consumers via an online survey, to delve into the often anxious minds of used car purchasers.

Primary Research & Strategy

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CHANGE

Strategy and Insight

The industry was being influenced by growing consumer trends, from low-commitment access models such as renting and car sharing, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) schemes, increased car lifespans and owners, an evolving showroom model, purchase guilt, and the rise of Research Online Buy Offline (ROBO).

We found that while 84% of respondents did some form of online research, just 28% converted online. The biggest pain points included not being able to test drive and the desire for a human and personalised experience.

Most importantly we identified a highly overlooked, but lucrative audience. Who had high demand and were purchasing frequently. We analyised their fears, motivations and needs to understand how a used car brand could position themselves to emotionally connect and appeal to this neglected audience.

Intrigued and want to know more about what we uncovered? Get in touch now.