Shoppers who are Highly Satisfied with a Manufacturer's Web Site are More Likely to Take a Test Drive
TORONTO - The Kia Canada Web site ranks highest in satisfying Canadian consumers who are shopping for new vehicles, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Canadian Manufacturer Web Site Evaluation Study(SM) released today.
The inaugural study examines Canadian manufacturer Web sites from the viewpoint of new-vehicle shoppers. Four areas are examined to determine overall satisfaction. They are (in order of importance): information/content (37%); ease of navigation (22%); appearance (21%); and speed of pages loading (20%).
Kia ranks highest among all automotive manufacturer Canadian Web sites with an overall index score of 848 points on a 1,000-point scale. Kia receives the highest ratings in the areas of speed and navigation. Hyundai (845) and Mazda (840), respectively, follow Kia in the rankings.
"Manufacturer Web sites have become potent tools in driving traffic to dealerships, and the design and overall functionality of sites play a key role in influencing new-vehicle shoppers," said Rohan Lobo, manager of automotive syndicated research at J.D. Power and Associates in the Toronto office. "The initial showroom experience is evolving from traditional dealerships to computer screens in consumers' homes, and a good Web site experience helps to close the deal by encouraging shoppers to test drive a vehicle. We find that there is a clear link between Web site satisfaction and increased intentions to test drive a vehicle."
The study finds that luxury new-vehicle shoppers generally display lower levels of satisfaction with the Web sites they visit. These shoppers are least satisfied with the areas of speed and appearance.
"Luxury sites tend to be more content heavy, which can affect the speed aspect of overall satisfaction," said Lobo. "The implication seems to be that content and functionality somewhat counterbalance each other. There is a fine line between the right amount of information and too much, which then imposes on ease of use, appearance and speed."
The study also finds that the top-performing Web sites generally have some common design elements:
The 2006 Canadian Manufacturer Web Site Evaluation Study is based on evaluations provided by 3,918 new-vehicle shoppers who indicated they would be in the market for a new vehicle within the next 12 months.
TORONTO - The Kia Canada Web site ranks highest in satisfying Canadian consumers who are shopping for new vehicles, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Canadian Manufacturer Web Site Evaluation Study(SM) released today.
The inaugural study examines Canadian manufacturer Web sites from the viewpoint of new-vehicle shoppers. Four areas are examined to determine overall satisfaction. They are (in order of importance): information/content (37%); ease of navigation (22%); appearance (21%); and speed of pages loading (20%).
Kia ranks highest among all automotive manufacturer Canadian Web sites with an overall index score of 848 points on a 1,000-point scale. Kia receives the highest ratings in the areas of speed and navigation. Hyundai (845) and Mazda (840), respectively, follow Kia in the rankings.
"Manufacturer Web sites have become potent tools in driving traffic to dealerships, and the design and overall functionality of sites play a key role in influencing new-vehicle shoppers," said Rohan Lobo, manager of automotive syndicated research at J.D. Power and Associates in the Toronto office. "The initial showroom experience is evolving from traditional dealerships to computer screens in consumers' homes, and a good Web site experience helps to close the deal by encouraging shoppers to test drive a vehicle. We find that there is a clear link between Web site satisfaction and increased intentions to test drive a vehicle."
The study finds that luxury new-vehicle shoppers generally display lower levels of satisfaction with the Web sites they visit. These shoppers are least satisfied with the areas of speed and appearance.
"Luxury sites tend to be more content heavy, which can affect the speed aspect of overall satisfaction," said Lobo. "The implication seems to be that content and functionality somewhat counterbalance each other. There is a fine line between the right amount of information and too much, which then imposes on ease of use, appearance and speed."
The study also finds that the top-performing Web sites generally have some common design elements:
- Users are able to stay relatively close to and easily access the home page
- All models are displayed in a side panel for easy browsing options
- Menu panels are typically static, providing a clear frame of reference and quick navigation
- Reduced need for mouse clicks
- Fast-loading pages
- Simple, clear and consistent color schemes
- Interactive 360degrees views of each vehicle
The 2006 Canadian Manufacturer Web Site Evaluation Study is based on evaluations provided by 3,918 new-vehicle shoppers who indicated they would be in the market for a new vehicle within the next 12 months.