Women are more likely to feel pressured into making a purchase at a dealership than men, research from Close Brothers Motor Finance has revealed.
According to a survey from Close Brothers, one in five women said the dealer put pressure on them to make a decision when purchasing their last car, compared with one in seven men.
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Women are about as likely as men to say they were happy with the price offered (83% women vs 84% men), expertise of their dealer (78% vs 75%) and range of stock (81% vs 81%). Despite this, the survey revealed women are more likely to shop elsewhere when considering a car purchase.
The research found that women are less likely to buy a car from a car dealership (70% women against 73% men) – particularly new car dealerships (37% vs 46%). Women are also more likely to purchase a vehicle from a private seller (14% vs 11%).
Women are also more likely to do their own independent research on websites such as Auto Trader (38% vs 35%), get advice from their friends and family (39% vs 25%), or consult social media (12% vs 8%) when researching their next car.
Men, on the other hand, are more likely to take the advice of dealers and their websites (67% vs 64%) or rely on commentary from motor magazines (17% vs 10%).
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By GlobalDataA quarter of dealerships responded to the results saying they are making making active efforts to attract and engage female customers. Initiatives include stocking particular types of vehicle, deliberately hiring female staff, and using targeted marketing (particularly on social media).
However, of the 75% of dealers not putting initiatives in place, four in 10 do not believe there’s a problem in the first place. The remaining 63% said they felt they had a sufficient number of female customers already.
“After years of assuming it was only men you should be talking to in order to sell cars, a changing landscape has prompted really positive developments across the industry,” said Rebecca McNeil, chief executive of Close Brothers.
“The number of women drivers is growing faster than men such that they now make up the majority of drivers on our roads, and they are more likely to be the key decision maker when purchasing a car. It’s vital that dealers put some thought into making the showroom an enjoyable experience for this ever-growing audience.
“Dealers remain by some distance the preferred source of information when researching a car, particularly for EVs and AFVs where sales are growing fastest. However, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of what best suits their specific needs, financial or otherwise. The onus on dealers is to ensure the offer put to all customers continues to be the right one, be that the right stock, dealer experience, or finance promotion.”
