[Click to Buy a Car]② Buying a New Car at Once... Accelerating Imported Cars

The era of selling vehicles online instead of through traditional face-to-face sales is arriving. Starting with Tesla, imported car manufacturers are actively engaging in online sales. Industry experts believe that as long as there is customer trust in the vehicle, online sales can be better than offline sales.

The pioneer of online sales is Tesla. Since launching the Model S in 2016, the company has adhered to an online sales model. Swedish luxury electric vehicle maker Polestar has also been selling all its vehicles online since entering the market in 2021. Both companies have showrooms, but these are literally spaces for display only. Other than display, their functions are limited to operating test drive and delivery centers. Payment and paperwork cannot be completed at the showroom; purchases can only be made online.

Some companies have fully embraced online sales starting this year. Honda Korea officially launched the ‘Honda Online Platform’ on the 20th of last month, announcing that “all models can be purchased at the same price 24/7, 365 days a year, anytime and anywhere.” The entire vehicle purchase process, including test drive applications, quotations, deposits, and final payments, can be completed online.

Mercedes-Benz and BMW, who compete for the top spot in the imported car market, have also started online sales. Mercedes-Benz Korea, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, began offering monthly online limited editions on the ‘Mercedes-Benz Store.’ Models vary, including the Maybach S580 Edition in January, EQS SUV 450 in February, AMG GT 43, and E450 Cabriolet in March. The January and February models sold out within 1 hour and 30 minutes. According to the company, these models attracted popularity by differentiating design and colors with models favored in the Korean market. The pure electric EQE 300 can only be purchased online. A Mercedes-Benz representative stated, “Last year, online sales accounted for 5.6% of total sales,” adding, “This is more than double the 2.2% at the end of 2021 when online sales began, and internally, this is viewed positively.”

BMW Korea is also selling vehicles with various limited editions and differentiated options that cannot be seen in offline stores through the internet. High-end models such as the XM, 7 Series, X7, and all pure electric vehicles can be reserved online.

Of course, there are hurdles to fully transitioning to online sales. To purchase imported cars, customers must go through dealers just like with domestic companies. Audi Korea currently has no online sales models and sells all vehicles offline. For Mercedes-Benz vehicles, online payment of a 1 million KRW deposit is possible, but the purchase process must be completed at a dealer. The same applies to BMW except for online sales and reservation models. An industry insider said, “Because online purchases inevitably involve relationships with dealers, it is cautious to talk about activating online sales.”

The key is consumer trust. If a vehicle is competitive compared to other brands, there is no reason to hesitate in online sales. An imported car industry insider said, “If the product (vehicle) has good quality and competitiveness, it is analyzed that there is no problem whether online or offline.” They explained, “If customers are satisfied with the product after purchase, it leads to brand loyalty and repurchase patterns, which are the same online and offline; the important factor is customer trust.”

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