Import Dealers Report 1 in 10 Used Vehicles Sold Via Internet

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (June 22, 2005) -- One in 10 international automakers' used vehicles were sold via the Web this year, according to the American International Automobile Dealer Association's AIADA-NCM iDealer Dashboard.

Additionally, the report found that lead generators such as cars.com or Kelley Blue Book's Web site brought in more than seven times the number of used vehicle leads as a manufacturer Web site, and nearly four times the number of leads as a dealership Web site.

The average international dealership has two Internet sales employees, about 3 percent of the dealership's workforce, according to AIADA.

In the first four months of 2005, international nameplate dealerships reported that the Internet was responsible for every one in six new vehicles sold.

iDealer Dashboard also discovered that the average international dealership sold 66.6 new vehicles via the Internet this year.

"Right now, it's just going to continue to see a higher utilization," said Peter Lanzavecchia, general manager of Burns Hyundai in Marlton, N.J., in reference to the Internet's sales potential.

AIADA said the Internet is progressing from a shopping tool to a sales discussion tool.

"People are e-mailing the Internet sales team about their potential car and saying, 'add a sunroof,' and later, 'take out the nav (navigation) system," continued Lanzavecchia. "People are doing legwork on their deal. For many of today's active consumers, this advanced level of discussion saves time."

Moreover, the report found that the average international dealership received 466 new vehicle sales leads from lead generators during the first four months of the year, as compared to 136 leads from manufacturer Web sites and 123 from dealership Web sites.

"Our experience indicates that regular off-the-street people are informed by the Internet," said Sabi Castro, Internet sales manager at Burns Hyundai. "People are doing some homework and they have the impression that Internet prices are cheaper."