There many ways to research, locate, bargain on and buy a new or used car. Visiting dealerships in person gives you the opportunity to test drive and compare numerous makes, models, features and prices. Once you’ve decided on a specific car, you can do the rest of the process online, including negotiating the car’s final price and obtaining financing if needed. Some dealerships will even deliver the car to your home or office.
According to the article “Dealership Internet Departments vs. Traditional Car Buying” on Edmunds.com, traditional car dealerships historically operated on the theory that customers had little access to information on car pricing. The explosion of the Internet changed this, and now numerous online resources are available for consumers to do their own research.
Customers can now obtain automobile price quotes from dealerships by simply filling out an online form. Car salespeople who deal with customers online usually have different sales incentives than salespeople at a traditional car dealership, according to the Edmunds.com article. Car dealership Internet departments focus on selling a higher volume of cars vs. maximizing individual profit on each car. According to the article, “the initial price quote given from an Internet sales manager is often very close to the absolute lowest selling price for a given vehicle.”
While buying a car online sounds incredibly convenient, there are still advantages to visiting a dealership. A knowledgeable salesperson can help you sift through different options, features and add-ons, and can help you compare the pricing for each. However, buyers need to do their homework before visiting dealerships so they can identify an appropriate price range for their chosen car.
Earnhardt Auto Centers offers the best of both worlds — numerous dealerships where you can test drive and gather information with a “No Bull” approach from their team, and a full online sales department. Visit Earnhardt Auto Centers today in person or online to learn more!
