Do Customers Want to Buy Cars Online? 5 Dealer FAQs

Consumer expectations are evolving, and more shoppers want flexibility throughout the vehicle purchase journey.
Buy Online isn’t about replacing the dealership experience. It’s about reducing friction and giving customers more ways to engage.
In a recent Auto Remarketing podcast, Jeri Reichel shares insights on shifting shopper behavior, common dealer concerns, and what these trends could mean for the future of automotive retail.

Digital shopping has transformed the way consumers buy almost everything. From travel bookings to financial services to major household purchases, your next buyer is already accustomed to completing more purchasing steps online.

On a recent Auto Remarketing podcast, Bill Zadeits sat down with Jeri Reichel, Assistant Vice President of Strategic Planning at Autotrader, to discuss how these evolving consumer expectations are reshaping automotive retail and what those changes mean for dealerships. As Reichel explained, “We are beginning to reach a tipping point. Digital transactions have become the norm across industries, and consumers expect more digital steps in the car buying process as well.”

That doesn’t necessarily mean consumers want to buy every vehicle entirely online. Instead, it signals a broader shift in how they want to shop. Today’s consumers expect flexibility, transparency, and the ability to move seamlessly between online and in-store experiences. For dealerships, the opportunity isn’t about replacing the showroom experience. It’s about adapting to meet customers where they are.

At the same time, misconceptions about Buy Online continue to create uncertainty. Do customers really want to purchase a vehicle online? Will dealers lose control of the process? Do stores need to completely change the way they operate?

To separate perception from reality, let’s explore five questions dealers are still asking about Buy Online and what the market is telling us.

“We are beginning to reach a tipping point. Digital transactions have become the norm across industries, and consumers expect more digital steps in the car buying process as well.” – Jeri Reichel, Assistant Vice President of Strategic Planning at Autotrader

Do Customers Really Want to Buy Vehicles Online?

One of the biggest misconceptions about Buy Online is that consumers want to complete every step of the purchase entirely online. But the market is suggesting something different.

Consumers aren’t comparing the vehicle purchase experience to how cars were sold five years ago. They’re comparing it to the buying experiences they have every day. As digital transactions become standard across industries, shoppers increasingly expect more convenience and flexibility throughout the car-buying journey.

“What consumers really want is flexibility. That doesn’t mean online only,” Reichel points out in the podcast. “Buy Online is about meeting consumers where they are, where they’re already shopping.”

Dealer Takeaway

Your opportunity right now is to give customers more ways to engage with your dealership at every stage of the vehicle-buying journey, whether they start online, visit in person, or move between both.

What if My Customers Still Want to Visit the Showroom?

One of the biggest misconceptions about Buy Online is that it requires dealerships to choose between digital retailing and the in-store experience. In reality, many shoppers want both.

Today’s consumers frequently research, compare vehicles, explore pricing, and narrow their choices online before ever contacting a dealership. But that doesn’t diminish the dealership’s role in the purchase journey.

As Reichel notes, “Even with more happening online, the dealership remains central to that experience. Not just for the purchase, but for everything that follows from fulfillment to service.”

The growing demand for flexibility reinforces the importance of creating a connected shopping experience that allows customers to move seamlessly between online and in-store interactions.

Dealer Takeaway

The goal isn’t to move every transaction online. It’s to make it easier for customers to engage with your dealership however they choose.

“What consumers really want is flexibility. That doesn’t mean online only. Buy Online is about meeting consumers where they are, where they’re already shopping.” – Jeri Reichel, Assistant Vice President of Strategic Planning at Autotrader

Is Buy Online Just a Trend, or Is It Here to Stay?

Buy Online is often viewed through the lens of technology. But the bigger story is changing consumer behavior.

Today’s shoppers are researching, comparing, and making decisions long before they contact a dealership. In fact, Cox Automotive research shows consumers spend more than 16 hours shopping online before they ever set foot on a lot, according to Reichel. Dealers who make it easier for consumers to move through that journey can reduce friction and keep buyers engaged.

What’s driving this behavior is a growing expectation for convenience, transparency, and choice throughout the buying process.

As Reichel put it, “Consumers want choice. Consumers value transparency. And consumers want to go at their own pace.”

Those expectations aren’t unique to automotive retail. They’re increasingly shaping how consumers interact with brands across industries. As a result, dealerships may find that the question is no longer whether digital shopping will influence the purchase journey, but how they can adapt to support it.

Dealer Takeaway

Buy Online isn’t simply a trend. It’s a reflection of evolving consumer expectations. When you create flexible, connected shopping experiences, you may be better positioned to meet your customers where they are today and where they’re headed next.

Will Buy Online Mean Losing Control of the Deal?

Even as more dealers explore Buy Online, concerns remain. For many, the biggest question isn’t whether consumers want more digital options. It’s whether offering those options means giving up control of the sales process.

Reichel hears that concern often. “Dealers worry they’ll have to adopt a new process, invest in new tools, or lose control of the deal,” she explains.

But consumer demand for flexibility doesn’t have to come at the expense of dealership oversight. Throughout the podcast, Reichel emphasizes that dealerships continue to play a critical role in customer experience, even as more steps move online. The goal is to make it easier for shoppers to move forward while maintaining the transparency and guidance they value.

As consumer expectations evolve, dealerships may find that the opportunity isn’t choosing between control and convenience. It’s finding ways to deliver both.

Dealer Takeaway

Give shoppers the flexibility to move at their own pace. Consumers still expect your dealership to remain connected, informed, and engaged throughout the journey.

How Can Dealers Adapt to Changing Consumer Expectations?

As consumer expectations evolve, dealerships have an opportunity to meet shoppers where they are while maintaining control of the customer experience.

One reason dealers are exploring Buy Online is the impact it can have on shopper engagement. As Reichel explains, “Just having the option to Buy Online creates higher engagement with participating dealer inventory, based on SRP and VDP views, as well as leads submitted.”

It turns out that just being flexible is valuable to your shoppers. When they see opportunities to complete more of the purchase journey on their own terms, they may be more likely to engage with inventory, explore vehicles, and take the next step.

To help dealers meet that demand, Cox Automotive has expanded Buy Online capabilities across Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book^®, and Dealer.com. Through Accelerate My Deal Elite, dealerships can support more of the purchase process online, including built-in ID verification, insurance verification, document uploads, e-signatures, payments, and pickup or delivery coordination. As Reichel notes, these capabilities are designed to help dealers offer a more connected shopping experience without requiring shoppers or dealership staff to manage those verification steps manually.

Dealer Takeaway

As shoppers expect more flexibility, the opportunity isn’t necessarily to change everything about how you sell. It’s to reduce friction, simplify key steps in the transaction process, and create a buying experience that works for both your customers and your team.

In Closing

As consumer preferences continue to shift, success won’t come from choosing between online and in-store. It will come from creating a connected experience that gives shoppers more choice, reduces friction, and helps them move forward with confidence.