Brand Loyalty Drops Below 65% Among New-Car Buyers!
It's becoming increasingly difficult for carmakers to turn a customer into a repeat customer, according to a recent study. An unexpected side effect of the chip shortage was that drivers who kept their car for longer than they're used to are going to the competition to try something new. "As vehicle availability increased and more choices hit the market, loyalty among brands as a whole saw a decline in 2023. Additionally, owners were tied down to their vehicles for longer than normal due to ongoing supply chain disruptions, and as a result were more likely to experience problems with their vehicles. Now that some of those issues have eased, consumers are looking to get behind the wheel of something different and are no longer remaining as loyal to a brand," said Tyson Jominy, J.D. Power's Vice President of data and analytics.
Consumers are intentionally purchasing older used vehicles as inventory challenges and economic pressures force a change in spending habits. Automotive research platform iSeeCars.com reports that used car prices have risen so fast that the current average price of a six-year-old vehicle outweighs that of a three-year-old vehicle in 2019. At the root of this rampant inflation was the COVID-19 pandemic. Manufacturing disruptions had lasting effects on both new and used vehicles, creating shortages in both segments that drove price tags to record highs.
Car buyers are facing another issue; their money is losing its value. While inflation is the chief culprit of this trend, rising interest rates are also straining employers, leading to slow job and wage growth. Credit availability is facing pressure as well, preventing many would-be buyers from qualifying for affordable loans, reports CBT News. Although banks have started to ease restrictive lending practices, many remain on high alert after the collapse of several financial institutions in the first quarter of 2023. All these headwinds are leading drivers to adjust their buying habits and opt for older, and hopefully cheaper, used vehicles.
Car dealerships who address these car brand and dealership loyalty problems stand out among their peers because they have designed and implemented new and imaginative sales practices to attract previous customers. Car salespeople who know the driving habits of all the members of a family and who remind their buyers that service is scheduled, or warranty is about to expire will be rewarded with more loyal car buyers and an increased number of car sales.
Technology exists to capture the driving habits of customers, number of drivers in each family unit and driving patterns and travel experiences. One of these auto technology applications, AutoVault™, captures information while each driver in a family unit is behind the wheel and connects the driver's family members to their car dealership on a regular basis