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mint www.livemint.com 14‘WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2010, DELHI Auto Experience in Internet usage of car owners Using Internet for past one year Using Internet for more than five years Using Internet for one-five years 5% 34% 61% Likelihood of car purchase among online potential car buyers Within six months 6-12 months 12-18 months 18-24 months 25% 12% 15% 20% 29% After 24 months Online channels used by car owners to share experiences (post-purchase) Social platforms Consumer review websites Source of information consulted for various vehicular attributes Internet Newspapers Consumer magazines Friends and relatives Dealers TV 49% 12% 13% 17% 9% Vehicle specifications 2% 32% 7% 11% 29% 19% Resale value 30% 19% 8% 14% 29% Insurance premium 8% 10% 33% 7% 13% 29% Driving appeal 30% 6% 14% 31% 18% 1% Running costs 30% 12% 16% 33% 7% 2% Performance of the vehicle 45% 19% 17% 10% 7% 3% Safety features 12% 13% 26% 8% 3% 38% Fuel efficiency 2% 4% 17% 24% 12% 40% Brand image of company NEED FOR SPEED 72% Internet 1% Don’t know Even as the global auto industry struggled in the wake of the economic slump, it bounced back in India, with passenger car sales rising a sharp 40% from December 2008 to December 2009, a trend that has continued since then. Alongside this, the decisions of car buyers in India have been increasingly influenced by the Internet. As a report by digital marketing agency webchutney makes clear, Internet usage is no longer limited to the urban Indian any more. The medium is fast overtaking traditional media such as television and newspapers, at least when it comes to consum- ers choosing their set of wheels, mainly because the Web offers a consumer-to-consumer model compared with the older the marketeer-to-consumer template. Add to that the power of unlimited comparisons and user feedback. Annual household income of online potential car buyers More than R12 lakh 6% R9.6-12 lakh 7% R4.8-9.6 lakh 16% R3-4.8 lakh 22% R1.5-3 lakh 30% R0.75-1.5 lakh 13% Less than R0.75 lakh 5% Vehicle ownership: online Indians versus rest of India Two-wheeler owners Car owners 51% 10% 2% 31% National-level ownership Internet users 52% Magazines/Newspapers/Brochures Auto NEWS 44% Dealers DEALER Preferred source of information for potential car buyers Reliance of potential car owners: online versus offline Company websites/ catalogues 81% Online consumer review websites 65% Social networking sites 61% Salesmen at dealer outlets 44% Family/friends/ relatives 79% Auto magazines and TV shows 77% Graphic by: Uttam Sharma/Mint; Source: webchutney Type of car experience shared online 8% 38% 54% Positive experience Negative experience Not shared an experience Various online channels used to share car experiences 11% 26% 27% 36% Social platforms Others Consumer review websites Company website Type of pre-purchase experience shared online by potential car buyers Online channels used by potential car buyers to share experiences (pre-purchase) Others Company website Consumer review websites Type of post-purchase experience shared online by car buyers Negative experience Not shared an experience Positive experience 26% Television 22% 78% 16% 84% Intend to purchase another car (25-39 years) (Above 40 years) Don’t intend to purchase another car Car owners who use Internet Negative experience Not shared an experience 33% 6% 61% Positive experience 27% 41% 24% 9% 56% 7% 37% 26% 28% 9% 38% Others Company website Social platforms 53% Friends and family
