2 Major Shifts In Auto Buyer Motivations Due To COVID-19

2020 has been a year of adjustment and change. Individuals and business owners were faced with challenges we never imagined that we’d see. 

As auto buyers navigate this new landscape, their behavior and motivations have changed.

Here are 2 important new trends that are being observed in our industry.

Trend 1: People are looking to personal vehicles to plan safe getaways

According to a poll from Facebook IQ, car owners largely view personal vehicles as the safest method of transportation currently. 

In fact, 65% of US consumers said they will most likely drive on their next trip. 

The poll also revealed that 2.2X as many consumers plan to drive on their next vacation opposed to flying. 

While this may be sombering news for the airline industry, this should be welcoming to auto dealers, who can take advantage of terrific OEM incentives to attract an expanding shopper base.

Trend 2: Peoples’ motivation for purchasing cars has changed

Just as auto buyers’ opinions of safe travel have changed, their reasons for purchasing vehicles have also shifted. 

Shoppers are now 1.9X more likely to say the main reason they were looking for a new vehicle is because of a deal or promotion. 

They are also 1.9X as likely to say they were in-market because their car broke down and 2X more likely to say they were looking to avoid public transportation and ride sharing services. 

Here is chart showing top buyer motivations before and during the COVID-19 pandemic:

Here’s how you can use these 2 trends to your dealership’s advantage.

Use incentives and tie in road trip messaging

Use your OEM’s creative assets and incentives to proactively reach out to in-market shoppers, with messaging about why your inventory is perfect for their upcoming road trip!

Then, retarget those interested shoppers with additional offers, your live inventory, or ways they can apply for financing or take the vehicle for a test drive.

Offer upgrades with eye-catching ad content

Make the most of Facebook and Instagram with a scroll-stopping ad about upgrades to convince shoppers to hop into something more reliable.

Want more ideas on for buy back campaign ads? Click here to check out “The Buy Back Playbook: 13 Ideas To Help You Stock Up On Used Inventory By Going Direct-To-Consumer”!

Despite all the change that’s happened in 2020 so far, auto shoppers remain resilient and continue to shop and purchase vehicles. 

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to drive traffic and leads from using a combination of Facebook, incentives, and a data-driven approach! 

Want to learn more about the auto shoppers in your market?

Click here to build your dealership’s Market Intelligence Report and immediately get insights like:

• Total Facebook Users you can reach on Facebook
• # of In-Market Auto Shoppers in your PMA
• User Demographics (Gender, Age)
• User Credit Score
• …and more!