How Folks Really Shop for Cars

How Folks Really Shop for Cars Online These Days (And What It Means for Your Dealership)

The old days of folks driving from lot to lot on a Saturday, kicking tires, and spending the whole day haggling are just about gone. People still come to the dealership, but by the time they show up, they’ve already done a whole lot of work online.

And that’s the part that trips up a lot of dealerships. The shopping process hasn’t disappeared it’s just moved. It’s on Google, on mobile phones, and on websites that, frankly, set the bar high for what customers expect.

Let’s walk through what’s really going on out there, step by step, and how it affects the way dealers need to think about their online presence. 

The Research Phase: Shoppers Are Starting Earlier (and Somewhere Else)

Most folks don’t wake up one morning and decide to visit a specific dealership. They start by asking questions. And where do they go for answers? Google and AI.

Searches like:

• “Best SUV for families 2025”
• “Used trucks under $20,000 near me”
• “Toyota Corolla vs Honda Civic reliability”

Those are real queries people type in every single day. Instead of walking your lot to figure out what’s out there, they’re walking the virtual lot first. They’re scrolling on their phones at night while watching TV, or during lunch breaks at work, or sitting in the carpool line.

This research phase can last weeks or even months. Buyers bounce between review sites, YouTube videos, dealership websites, forums, and Facebook groups. They’re reading reviews, comparing trims, and watching walkarounds before they ever set foot near a car.

What’s wild is, buyers today visit two to three dealerships on average before making a decision. Ten years ago, it was five or more. That means by the time they do come to see you, they’re a whole lot closer to the finish line than they used to be.

“Near Me” Searches: Google Is the New Main Street

When someone’s ready to narrow things down, they pull up Google Maps and type something like “car dealerships near me.”

That’s where the rubber meets the road. Google is now the primary tool people use to discover local dealerships. They’re looking at star ratings, photos, open hours, and location. They click “Website” or “Call” straight from the map listing. If your Google Business Profile isn’t dialed in, reviews up to date, photos looking sharp, hours correct, you’re basically invisible in this part of the journey.

Think about it like this: your Google listing is your new front door. If it looks inviting, folks step through. If it’s dark, outdated, or empty, they keep walking right past you to the next place.

And it’s not just about reviews. Clear, well-lit photos of your lot, a properly linked website, and quick response times to questions all play into how people judge you online. They’re forming opinions before they ever speak to a salesperson.

The Carvana Effect: Expectations Have Changed

Carvana didn’t just sell cars online, they changed what customers expect from everybody else.

Even buyers who would never actually buy a car sight unseen now expect a simple, transparent, and fast online experience. When they see Carvana’s clean design, no-haggle pricing, home delivery options, and instant financing tools, it sets a new benchmark. And whether we like it or not, dealerships are compared to that experience.

Folks now expect:

• Full vehicle details and a bunch of high-quality photos
• Transparent, no-surprises pricing
• Financing tools they can use without talking to anyone
• Quick trade-in estimates
• A clean, easy-to-use website that doesn’t make their phone crawl

They don’t expect your store to be Carvana but they do expect it not to feel like 2008. And that’s fair. If they can get groceries delivered in two hours and file taxes online in 15 minutes, they’re not going to tolerate a clunky, slow website with outdated inventory photos.

Mobile First: If It’s Slow, They’re Gone

This one’s big. Well over three-quarters of shoppers use their phones at some point during the car buying process. For younger buyers, it’s more like nine out of ten.

And people don’t have patience for slow sites anymore. If your website takes forever to load, if the buttons are tiny, or if it’s not easy to scroll through inventory, they’re gone. They don’t even think about it, they just back out and tap the next result.

It’s not about fancy features or gimmicks. It’s about clarity, speed, and ease of use. Think about what it’s like to scroll a clean Instagram feed. Now compare that to a dealership site with pop-ups, autoplay videos, and ten different colors fighting for attention. 

Which one feels more trustworthy?

A smooth mobile experience builds trust before anyone picks up the phone.

Trade-In, Financing, and Pre-Approval: Buyers Want to Handle This Early

Another big shift is that people want to take care of trade-ins and financing before they ever set foot in the showroom.

They’ll use a trade-in calculator online, get pre-approved with a soft credit pull, and run payments through a loan calculator before deciding whether a car fits their budget. This doesn’t mean they won’t talk to F&I later, it just means they want to feel more in control from the start.

When you make these tools easy to use on your site, you’re not giving away the farm. You’re removing friction. You’re letting the serious buyers qualify themselves before they ever show up. That helps both sides: fewer surprises for them, and better-qualified leads for you.

Turning Online Research into Real Visits

Even though so much of the process happens online, most sales still close in person. Around 85–90% of vehicles are still bought at a physical location. The difference is, the visit now comes later in the journey.

Shoppers are more likely to book a test drive online or message ahead to confirm availability before making the trip. And they expect a quick response, same day, if not same hour. When they show up, they already have a good idea of what they want. In some cases, they’ve already picked their financing, trade value, and specific VIN.

That means the role of the salesperson is shifting a bit. It’s less about introducing the product from scratch and more about confirming their choice, building trust, and closing smoothly.

Different Segments, Different Habits

Not every buyer acts the same way, of course. Here’s a quick snapshot of what’s going on across different groups:

• New Car Buyers: Heavy on comparison tools and manufacturer sites. Willing to travel farther for the right deal.
• Used Car Buyers: Rely more on marketplace platforms like CarGurus, AutoTrader, and Facebook Marketplace. Price transparency and photos are huge.
• EV Buyers: Do a lot of deep-dive research on range, charging options, and total cost of ownership.
• Younger Buyers (Gen Z / Millennials): Mobile first, expect online tools, more open to buying completely online.
• Older Buyers (Boomers): Still likely to call or come by in person, but they’re researching pricing online just like everyone else.

Understanding these patterns helps tailor your approach. For example, if you’re heavy on used inventory, making sure your vehicles are cleanly presented on third-party platforms and your site can make a bigger difference than pouring money into broad branding campaigns.

What This Means for Dealerships

At the end of the day, this isn’t about becoming Carvana. It’s about recognizing that the way people shop has changed, and meeting them where they are without losing the personal touch that sets a good dealership apart.

Here’s the simple version:

• Make sure your Google Business Profile is up to date and looks good. It’s your new digital front door.
• Keep your website fast, clean, and mobile friendly. No gimmicks ... just a solid user experience.
• Offer trade-in, financing, and payment tools online so serious buyers can do their homework early.
• Take response time seriously. If someone messages you online, get back fast. That speed builds trust.
• Think of your sales team as closers and relationship builders, not just gatekeepers of information. By the time folks arrive, they’ve already done their homework.

Wrapping It Up

Buying a car is still a big deal. It’s emotional. It’s personal. But the journey has moved online in a way that can’t be ignored. Folks are still looking for honest conversations, good deals, and trustworthy people, they’re just starting the process on their phones now instead of your lot.

The dealerships that thrive in this new landscape aren’t necessarily the biggest or the flashiest. They’re the ones that understand where buyers are coming from, adapt to those habits, and still bring that human touch when it counts.

And honestly, that’s something dealerships, especially the good ones, have always been great at.