Changing Consumer Behavior: How Car-Buying Websites Alter the Buying Experience

Buying a car can be a really challenging experience for consumers. It is hard to find a car that you feel is reliable and priced right. And, it can be difficult to negotiate the price of the vehicle you're buying, particularly if there is also a trade-in and you must negotiate the price on that trade-in as well. 

Because of the major challenges and because buying a car is such a big investment, consumers need to know their rights – and should talk with a Los Angeles lemon law lawyer if it turns out the car they buy has serious defects or problems.

The good news is, Entrepreneur reports that automobile websites are changing the ways that consumers buy vehicles – often to the customer's benefit.

How Automobile Websites are Changing Car-Buyers Behavior

According to Entrepreneur, there are a few big ways that online automobile websites have changed the car shopping process. These websites have changed:

• The influencers of car buyers: Buying a car starts with doing online research from reliable websites. Only after the car buyer has already done research to narrow down his preferences for vehicles does the consumer have to visit the high-pressure sales environment.
• Changes in how people buy products: Most people today spend a lot of time buying products online, which has resulted in big changes to the entire retail process. Consumers expect pricing transparency and want to be able to purchase vehicles without having to engage in high-pressure negotiations. They also want to be able to browse many products from different companies in order to determine which is the right one, rather than just visiting a limited number of dealers and getting stuck with buying whatever the dealer happens to have in stock. The car industry is changing to make that happen. The rise in online shopping also means that Social Media plays a role in how people buy products, although Entrepreneur thinks that role is expanding.
• Changes in how used cars are sold: Because of the Internet, it has become easier than ever for individuals to buy and sell vehicles to each other without involving a dealer. These types of transactions help car-buyers to avoid having to pay costly dealer fees so they can get a better deal on their vehicle. Car sellers also benefit from being able to connect directly to customers so they can ask market price for the vehicle they are selling, whereas it is often difficult for sellers to get as much money if a dealer buys the car.

While online sites can help give you the information and tools needed to find the right car at the right price, unfortunately there are still times when the vehicle you buy will unexpectedly turn out to have serious defects. A Los Angeles lemon law lawyer can help you in these situations to ensure that you know your rights and take advantage of consumer protection laws to seek appropriate remedies for losses. Contact an attorney as soon as you begin having problems with your new car to find out more.