According to Karl Werner, the head of sales and marketing for MotoNovo Finance, customer reviews are the key component for dealerships looking to stand out online, reports AM Online.
Mr Werner stated that positive online reviews presented an opportunity for car dealerships to boost their SEO activity, promote their values and increase customer confidence in their vehicles.
This kind of market insight is useful when you are planning your showroom stocking policies to meet customer demand. However, if you are making changes to the type or volume of vehicles you have on the forecourt, ensure that you have the right level of motor trade insurance and road risks insurance to cover your stock.
When there was an impressive list of positive customer reviews on a site, Mr Werner said that it presented a highly credible picture of the car dealership in the eyes of their clients.
Mr Werner backed this view up with the following data:
— 88 per cent of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations (Invesp 2015)
— More than 50 reviews per product can mean a 4.6 per cent increase in conversion rates (Reevo)
— 63 per cent of customers are more likely to make a purchase from a site, which has user reviews (iPerceptions, 2011)
— An 18 per cent increase in sales is the average produced by positive online reviews (Reevo)
— Site visitors who interact with both reviews and customer questions and answers are 105 per cent more likely to purchase while visiting and spend 11 per cent more than visitors who don’t interact with User Generated Content (Bazaarvoice, Conversation Index, Q2 2011)
Mr Werner said: “Given the changes in the way consumers approach car buying today, all dealers should consider themselves to be multi-channel retailers who serve the customer initially online and subsequently (although not exclusively) in the showroom.
“Creating a stand-out digital presence in a crowded marketplace means reviews matter.”
