Car maker Ford has launched FordOnline.co.uk, a new car buying website that lets shoppers buy cars over the web, via email or telephone transactions. The site is run by Ford retail, and was set up as a response to growing demand for wanting to buy a car without going to a dealership. FordOnline.co.uk said it […]
Car maker Ford has launched FordOnline.co.uk, a new car buying website that lets shoppers buy cars over the web, via email or telephone transactions. The site is run by Ford retail, and was set up as a response to growing demand for wanting to buy a car without going to a dealership.
FordOnline.co.uk said it has found that a large proportion of internet shoppers, nearly 40% (37%) in fact, are prepared to purchase vehicles without a test drive. This allows FordOnline.co.uk to grow fast as it removes one of the final barriers to online selling of vehicles, the company claims.
22/06/2010
Steve Hood, Managing Director of FordOnline.co.uk, commented: “In the past, many customers have used the internet for gathering information and then visited dealerships for advice and test drives.
“Whilst many customers still continue to do this, we are now witnessing a significant proportion of internet customers that both know the car they want and are prepared to buy it direct if the internet retailer is credible, like ourselves. It shows that consumers are now ready to fully use the internet in the car industry.”
FordOnline.co.uk allows motorists to search through the largest volume of low-priced new and used Fords on the web and then purchase the vehicle of their choice by e-mail or over the telephone. The chosen Ford vehicle is then delivered by FordOnline.co.uk to one of its 12 regional delivery centres, whichever is closest to the customer’s given address – part of the hassle-free and stress-free service from the website.
Customers can deal direct with a dedicated team of Ford specialists at a UK-based call centre, and they will work on the customer’s behalf to find the best vehicles, part exchange values and low prices without lengthy visits to showrooms.
The convenience of the process is becoming increasingly important. New research from FordOnline.co.uk shows that motorists believe the benefits of buying a car online are convenience and a hassle free process, especially with today’s busy lifestyles.
Their priorities are:
Getting a better deal (35%)
It is convenient and quick (29%)
There is no need to haggle on price (21%)
It saves time/saves visiting a dealership (19%)
It is less stressful than buying from a dealership (13%)
The research also reveals that the majority FordOnline.co.uk users are looking to spend between £10,000 – £20,000 (59%) on their next vehicle and are already well versed in making a broad range of purchases online e.g.:
Books, DVDs and music (59%)
Insurance (55%)
Holidays (52%)
Clothes and jewellery (43%)
Theatre/concert tickets (35%)
Brown goods such as TV’s (34%)
White goods (30%)
Toys (26%)
Health and beauty products (25%)
Car parts (24%)
Steve Hood continues: “We know that with the growth of the internet there are car buyers out there who want to search for and buy a car without visiting a dealership. We have specifically designed FordOnline.co.uk for those people, offering them great choice, low-prices and high levels of customer service. Our customers only need to visit a dealer to pick up their vehicle.
“The internet really is the most convenient way to shop for cars now and we are leading the way with FordOnline.co.uk. We pride ourselves on providing car buyers with an ‘easy to buy from’ policy, transparent prices, realistic part exchange values and excellent stock availability – what you see on FordOnline.co.uk is exactly what you get.
“Early testing of our site shows that we are attracting car buyers looking for a broad range of vehicles, not just small cars like the Fiesta. In our research, nearly a third of visitors want to buy a 4×4 or MPV for their next car (30%), followed by a small family vehicle (27%) and a large family vehicle (17%), whereas many traditional motoring portals generally attract motorists looking for lower-value vehicles only.
“We have provided key services such as a free to call UK-based call centre full of knowledgeable staff and a part-exchange option to ensure that our customers get the best possible experience from buying their vehicle via our exclusive online service.
“We offer customers consistently low prices for all of our new and nearly new Ford vehicles stock, whilst ensuring that all of our customers received the peace of mind that they would expect from buying a Ford vehicle through a Ford dealer.”
FordOnline.co.uk has selected the new car offers which have the widest appeal and giving users the best value, so visitors won’t find all the Ford range on the website, just the best sellers. If there are other cars or vans that motorists are looking for in the Ford range, then they can give FordOnline.co.uk a free phone call and the FordOnline.co.uk team will find the right vehicle for them.
In addition, all of the used Ford cars and vans are cleaned, repaired, safety checked and come with a 3 month standard warranty. If a service is due within 2 months, FordOnline.co.uk will ensure it is completed before sale.
Ford Online.co.uk also offers a part-exchange option, where motorists can complete the ‘Value Your Car’ section in the Used Cars area of the site.
FordOnline.co.uk will then get them the best valuation possible from the Group’s used vehicle buyers. Alternatively, users can call Ford direct from FordOnline.co.uk’s free phone number to help them to complete the questions over the phone.
www.fordonline.co.uk
