New car dealers may well be trading mainly on service and repair work in future, rather than than new and used car sales, as the inexorable shift towards online car retailing gathers pace. As more people turn to leasing cars instead of buying, what matters is the monthly payment figure and a PX value on your existing car – everything else is really just chit-chat.
Buyers can access all the latest car deals and offers via Cazoo, Carwow, BuyaCar and Car Gurus. Now manufacturers are getting a slice of the action too, as they realise that the old days of having a salesperson, free coffee and a dog-eared copy of Top Gear from 2015 in the lounge area doesn’t cut it. New car buyers are happy to spend online, as so often the sales process face-to-face is seen as slightly long-winded and pushy, than being a genuinely pleasant experience.
Consumers know exactly what car they want; the spec, the colour – and they can get a PX value from many different sources, plus finance approval from banks or other online providers. Say hello then to Peugeot’s new Buy Online service. The virtual showroom allows customers to purchase any new Peugeot from the comfort of their home using a computer, tablet or smartphone.
IE Note – On a waiting list for your new March plate Peugeot-Citroen car? In a recent statement to trade press PSA Group MD in the UK Alison Jones said that new van and car sales to key workers would be top priority when the economy began to return to normal and that dealership staff may well have to observe social distancing and extra sanitising practices in future.
Customers using Peugeot’s Buy-Online portal can fully configure their preferred model, choosing: version, powertrain, gearbox, colour and interior, as well as any optional extras to meet their requirements. It’s something Fiat pioneered ten years ago with the 500 city car model.
After configuring their preferred vehicle, customers can then select and edit their finance, including the deposit, annual mileage and contract length, and see the monthly price update in real time. The range of finance options include: Passport; Just Add Fuel® – an innovative package which incorporates three years’ insurance, car tax, warranty, roadside assistance & routine servicing in one monthly payment; and outright purchase. In only a few short steps, customers can receive approval of their application and place their order.
- If you’ve taken your existing car off the road while the lockdown continues, then it’s worth looking at SORN insurance policies. What you need is fire, theft and vandalism protection if you are genuinely NOT driving your car. Companies who specialise in offering cover for SORN vehicles include Adrian Flux, Admiral, Hastings Direct, Lancaster, Principal Insurance and more.
- It’s worth noting that if you cancel the VED tax with the DVLA you NEED to let your insurer know. If you don’t tell your insurer it might invalidate your insurance.
- Some companies like AXA are waiving their usual cancellation fee if you need to SORN your car until the lockdown eases, or you get back into full time work.
As customers personalise and select their car they will receive a provisional delivery date. When ready to check out, customers can then reserve their car for delivery once UK Government guidelines allow. They are also able to select a preferred delivery date and time based on when the car becomes available.
David Peel, Managing Director of Peugeot UK, said: “We know UK car buyers are incredibly well informed and do much of their homework online. PEUGEOT Buy Online not only facilitates this research, but allows new car buyers to purchase and arrange the finance for their next new car entirely online from the comfort of their home.”
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