Report: 38% of consumers will drive to get best deal
Thirty-eight percent of U.S. auto buyers are willing to drive more than an hour for their best deal, underscoring the importance of aggressive advertising by dealers, the Fall 2009 Ad-ology Media Influence on Consumer Choice survey suggested. It also found online media is now more influential than social or traditional media on auto purchasing/leasing decisions, reports Rbr.com.Manufacturer Web sites influenced nearly half of recent purchasers, according to the study. Search results and online video were also influential, and nearly twice as many males as females reported influence from online video. Traditional media is still influential for automotive sales. Newspaper was the most influential traditional media overall, particularly so for older demographics, Asians, and African Americans. Social media had the most effect on buyers under the age of 54, females, and higher-income consumers. Auto purchasers who use Twitter say social networks influenced their purchase more than users of other social networks.