Millennials Claim They're Better Car Shoppers Than Their Parents, Reports Edmunds.com
When it comes to car shopping, it's not uncommon for young adults to turn to their parents for experienced tips and advice. But a new study from car buying platform Edmunds.com suggests that the younger, tech-savvy generation is quickly becoming a more educated and self-sufficient group of buyers due to their prolific use of mobile devices during the car shopping process.
According to the study commissioned by Edmunds in early 2015, 73 percent of Millennials (age 18-34) said that they believe they are savvier car buyers than their parents. More than half of Millennial respondents also said they actively advise friends and family on the car buying process, compared to 37 percent of older Americans.
One major reason for this is Millennials' proficiency in using mobile devices to research before buying. The study found that Millennials especially turn to mobile for critical car shopping activities such as reading vehicle reviews (41 percent of Millennials vs. 20 percent of all other adults), locating vehicles for sale (34 percent vs 20 percent) and researching vehicle pricing (33 percent vs. 21 percent). Edmunds' research concluded that 80 percent of Millennials used their mobile devices to help them with at least one car shopping task, compared to just 46 percent of people age 35 and over.
But while Millennials have a propensity toward using mobile devices during the car shopping experience, the study also pointed out that this group still heavily values the in-dealership experience. The study found that 64 percent of Millennials said that they prefer face-to-face interaction with dealers as opposed to remote communications, and an overwhelming 96 percent said that it is important to test drive the car before they buy it, debunking the myth that Millennials are making all of their car buying decisions on their phones.
More information is available at the Edmunds.com website.