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BMW UK has launched a unique end-to-end service, where customers can select, finance and purchase their car online. With just a few clicks, prospective BMW owners can build their perfect car, arrange a test drive if necessary, pick financing options, payment method, and get a trade-in value for their own car before finalising the delivery date.
The aim of BMW Retail Online is to offer the dealer more channels and opportunities to get in touch with potential customers and to adapt successfully to changing purchasing behaviour and technology awareness.
Though the buying process can entirely be done online, the dealer remains at the heart of the process and in control of the sale.
The online journey starts with the optional tool “Find your BMW”, where four simple questions help customers find their ideal model. This leads into the vehicle configurator on bmw.co.uk, offering customers a comprehensive, but simple way to build the vehicle they want.
With a click on the “Buy your BMW” button, the customer selects a retailer, she/he is then offered the option of an existing car with a faster delivery date, before selecting the preferred finance method. The customer can then finalise the purchase with their chosen retailer in the Retailer Online showroom.
Online global commerce is expected to reach USD 2.5 trillion by 2020. This trend is reflected in the car industry, with 97 per cent of buyers researching their car purchase online and customers now visiting a retailer just 1.4 times, on an average, before completing their purchase.
Industry research also indicates that nearly half of all buyers would consider buying online.