Study: Consumers Want to Buy Big-Ticket Items From Their Smartphones
A new study shows that consumers aren’t just interested in buying cars from their smartphones, they’re interested in completing the F&I process as well. The study was commissioned by Roadster, a company that offers that type of experience.
SAN FRANCISCO — A new study shows that one-third of consumers are open to buying cars from their mobile device. However, the same study showed that 86% of them still want to test-drive the vehicle before purchases.
The study, which surveyed, 1,185 consumers, was conducted by Survata on behalf of Roadster, a three-year-old company that offers that type of service. Using their mobile phone, consumers shop for vehicles on the company's site, while Roadster brokers the deal with participating dealers once a vehicle is selected. And according to its study, it’s not just shoppers in tech-specific cities who want that type of experience.
“It’s clear from the results of our survey that consumers are open to new ways of shopping for big ticket items,” said Andy Moss, CEO of Roadster. “With Roadster, we have incorporated some of the most cutting-edge ecommerce technologies into car shopping to make car buying as easy as buying anything else online. On Roadster.com and our partner dealer sites, consumers can now find a car they like on their mobile device, purchase it directly with our ecommerce technology, and have it delivered to their doorstep, sometimes even the same day.”
The survey found that men (41%) are more interested in buying cars from their smartphone than women (21%). It also found that consumers with household incomes of more than $150,000 are more likely to transact online.
The survey also showed consumers are willing to buy F&I products from their smartphone, with 31% respondents saying they’d be interested in selecting their “warranty," and 27% saying they’d be interested in selecting their service plan.
Additionally, 45% of respondents said they wished the auto industry would introduce free delivery. Forty-five percent of respondents said they want free return, while 44% said they wanted fixed pricing.
And consumer who weren't interested in purchasing big-ticket items from their smartphones said they would reconsider if they knew there were significant savings involved. According to survey results, 43 percent of consumers expected to save $2,000 or more by purchasing a car on their smartphone vs. going to the dealership. Thirty-one percent believed they would asave three to four hours by conducting the transaction online.
Originally posted on F&I and Showroom
More Dealer Ops

Dealer Debrief: Defection Data & EV Updates
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence discusses how to use defection data to your advantage and the latest on EV sales and charging infrastructure.
Read More →
How Defection Data is Bridging the Dealership Conversion Gap
Lead volume is flat, cross-shopping is up and brand loyalty is in retreat. As confident sales teams keep losing buyers they thought they had, daily industry sales data is showing dealers exactly where their funnel is breaking and how to fix it without buying a single new lead.
Read More →
Dealer Debrief: Where are you losing customers?
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence discusses the hidden leaks in dealerships where you might be losing customers without even realizing it.
Read More →
Dealer Debrief: Improving Your Inventory Management
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence covers a new survey that shows what service technicians really want and two launches that could help improve your inventory and vehicle life cycle management.
Read More →
Ladies and Gentlemen, This Is a Dealership: Why the Fundamentals Still Decide Who Wins
A teaching moment by a legendary football coach happens to apply perfectly in the auto retail space. Learn what it is and how to use it to your store’s advantage.
Read More →
What Market Timing Mistakes Mean for Your Reinsurance Program
When volatility hits, dealer-owned reinsurance programs face a familiar temptation: pull back and wait for calmer waters. New data from BOK Financial shows why that instinct can quietly cost you years of surplus growth.
Read More →
Dealer Ads and the FTC
The agency has made it clear in recent enforcement actions and warnings, in auto retail and other industries, that advertised prices must include all nonoptional costs to the consumer.
Read More →
Used Autos Supply Dwindles
The March shopping surge, despite high prices, cut into inventory by the most since the thick of the pandemic, Cox Automotive analysts calculated.
Read More →
Managing Risk Effectively Through Changing Times
The variables influencing risk pricing have changed significantly over the past five years. Being proactive and responsive to emerging trends is not optional but essential.
Read More →
Survey Reveals What Won't Fix What's Breaking Car Sales
AutoPayPlus says extra-long auto loans are trapping consumers and threatening the dealer trade-in cycle, and that the industry is leveraging the wrong tools to combat high MSRPs.
Read More →
