89% of India's auto sales digitally influenced: Report

Almost 90 per cent of India's car buying has a "digital influence" as a majority of buyers research online and watch videos before making the purchase, a report by Google India-Kantar TNS today said.
This is higher compared to trends in 2016 when the number stood at about 75 per cent, the report titled 'The Drive to Decide' said.
The report said these auto shoppers exhibited three key digital behaviours -- 96 per cent said they searched online, 80 per cent said they watched online videos and 88 per cent said they prefer to research on their smartphones.
"Online video has emerged as the biggest disrupter for the four-wheeler industry in India... auto content (on YouTube) itself has witnessed an astounding 225 per cent year-on-year watchtime growth," Google India Industry Director Vikas Agnihotri said.

From an advertiser perspective, what makes this trend even more relevant is that car manufacturers can now measure the exact impact that online is having on offline sales, and that is a real game changer, he added.
The report said 41 per cent of the videos watched were vehicle safety tests; 41 per cent showcased the technology and features of the car, 38 per cent were about performance and 33 per cent were customer reviews.

Gabri Herrmann from Kantar TNS said the modern auto shopper walks into the dealership armed with a staggering array of information.
"Delivering on research needs and inspiring the consumer is critical -- brands that succeed in this will win the sale," he added.

The research covered over 13,800 respondents from 27 markets.