Cap HPI has launched a new digital imagery tool that is designed to help dealers and car makers to boost online sales.

The new tool allows Cap HPI to offer all manufacturer colours for all cars and vans with the ability to ultimately offer exact trims levels, removing the inconsistencies and gaps currently experienced.  

It has been developed in partnership with European digital image specialist Imagin Studios.

John Dennis, sales director at Cap HPI, said: “For customers today, the quality of the information they see is as important as the technology being used. With this new capability, any business selling new vehicles now has a more accurate, professional, and brand compliant image to accompany the new vehicle specification for their website. We believe customers now have more incentive to press that ‘buy’ button.

"We are delivering cutting-edge, customer-first enhancements that I believe will provide customers with a powerful online experience of their ‘new’ vehicle purchase decision.”

The new combination of highly detailed, accurate digital vehicle images alongside vehicle specification data will, according to Martijn Versteegen, CTO of Imagin Studios, see a huge uptick in online purchases for customers.

He added: “Consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable and willing to make big ticket purchases purely online, it’s convenient and increasingly easy to use. Case studies show a doubling, and in some cases a tripling of online conversions when businesses apply accurate and professional vehicle imagery to their website and digital channels.”

The new service follows research from What Car? that suggests one-in-10 car buyers are ready to complete their purchase wholly online. The consumer title said that its findings indicated that digital retail was “here to stay” for car retailers.

Auto Trader is investing in a new marketing campaign to raise awareness of online car buying services and to highlight the ease and simplicity of buying a car online from retailers on its marketplace, during a period of COVID uncertainty.