UAE car dealers tap Internet to reach consumers

Carmudi reported that 27.3 per cent of dealers are actively using social media to reach customers, while 91 per cent of car dealer survey participants are also somewhat actively advertising their car listings on the Carmudi platform.

By Rohma Sadaqat

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Published: Thu 18 Jun 2015, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Wed 8 Jul 2015, 3:18 PM

Dubai: Car dealers in the UAE are flocking to the Internet to reach potential consumers, with 91 per cent of car dealers using the Internet to advertise to customers, Carmudi has found.

Carmudi’s report on ‘The Booming Automotive Industry in Emerging Markets’ provides a detailed look into the global state of automotive sales and how car purchasing behaviors have changed due to the drastic increase in Internet and mobile penetration, rising GDP, and the emergence of a middle class. The findings in the report are the result of Carmudi’s quantitative surveys conducted online with both car buyers and car dealers, and in-depth interviews with industry influencers throughout the UAE.

Carmudi reported that 27.3 per cent of dealers are actively using social media to reach customers, while 91 per cent of car dealer survey participants are also somewhat actively advertising their car listings on the Carmudi platform. The report also found that even with the shift to online, car dealers in the UAE are still seen as comfortable with advertising listings through newspaper classifieds, with over 27 per cent reporting that they were somewhat focusing on newspapers.

“The rise of e-commerce and the growing movement online is changing the game for the UAE car market, bringing in the new generation of consumers to help drive future sales,” said Mohamed Noweir, managing director of Carmudi UAE.

In the UAE, new vehicle sales growth reached 16.7 per cent in 2013 according to the BMI. BMI remains upbeat on the prospects for new car sales across 2015, that will reach the 425,000 mark or a 5.1 per cent growth.

“The UAE market is a very attractive place, which can lead to even higher limits of sales. Factors like liberal economic environments and high levels of competition can offer good deals to customers. Also, finance offers from banks can be good instruments for higher sales. I think only good quality and commitment to customers can be the major factor which will affect future car sales,” noted used cars manager, Ramzi Anis Yehia, at the Liberty Automobiles Company.

rohma@khaleejtimes.com


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