BMW has launched a new online webstore, allowing consumers to buy their cars entirely online.
Previously, only parts of the car buying process were able to be done online, but now BMW customers are able to complete the transaction online, including agreeing the finance.
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The site is supported by online via either chat or email with either a ‘BMW genius’ or a sales executive from a retailer, between 8am and 10pm.
The site includes an online finance calculator, which is accessed once a model has been selected and configured. There is also a
Explaining the move, BMW said that 97% of buyers research their car purchase online, and that the amount of times a customer visits a retailer has fallen from an average of four times in 1998 to 1.4 times in 2015.
According to BMW, 95% of UK retailers have selected to offer this service to their customers.
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By GlobalDataMoving the buying process online was a topic Spencer Halil, head of BMW’s independent finance arm Alphera, spoke about at Frontline Solution’s 2015 F&I Conference. On the day, he said: "What we’d like to see is a situation where a customer should be able to get their application through to us from the comfort of their desk, their chair or their bus seat. If it’s what they want to do, they should be able to conclude the transaction online as well."
