Car loan provision heads online, says Frost & Sullivan

Finance will be provided online as an ‘omni channel’ shopping experience for new car buyers sweeps through car retailing, forecasts consultancy Frost & Sullivan analyst Julia Saini.

She said in-store, online and mobile platforms would be integrated as carmakers experiment with new business strategies.

“Dealerships will increasingly be about brand experience,” Saini told a London conference.

They would be linked to flagship stores in big cities, offering car configurations using digital displays and screens, as pioneered by Audi City in central London.

“There will be a customer relationship manager, rather than a salesman, who will talk you through the brand experience,” said Saini.

“They will know your preferences because you have browsed online before the visit and left information, all digitally connected to the brand stores.”