Study Finds WOM Big Influence on Car Purchase
When it comes to gathering information on vehicles, nearly half of all perspective car buyers rely on word of mouth as a key influencer.
According to a new Harris Interactive poll, 52 percent of consumers said they relied on recommendations from friends and family. Dealership visits were still the biggest single influencer at 77 percent and information gleaned from auto manufacturers' web sites came in second at 58 percent.
The study also confirmed the Internet as a huge influencer by itself. 68 percent of all new car buyers said that the Internet was a huge influencer on their choice, with Edmunds.com and ConsumerReports.org the most visited destinations.
Source: Harris Interactive, "Automotive Website Assessment Study".
