Porsche pilots U.S. online car sales for first time
As the powersports industry continually seeks ways to make the retail experience a better one for our customers, it’s worth noting the news that Porsche is putting into test phase the concept of allowing customers to make their car purchases online. Trade-in valuation? The consumer sends the dealership images of the car. Press release follows.
Porsche is launching online car sales in the U.S. for the first time. The joint pilot project with 25 participating dealers combines convenient shopping from browsers or mobile devices with the ease of completing the paperwork on-screen – shortening and easing the process from selection to contract. Featured will be new and pre-owned vehicles that are in-stock.
Once an online order is submitted, customers can visit the dealership just once for final signatures and to collect their dream Porsche. At launch, 25 of the 191 independently owned and operated U.S. Porsche dealers are taking part. A wider national rollout is possible, depending on the results of the pilot.
“Physical and digital retail experiences have to work hand in hand, yet stay typically Porsche. Offering our customers an enhanced digital option for acquiring a Porsche makes this experience even more accessible and more convenient,” said Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG.
“Porsche is always looking for new ways to meet customer expectations,” said Klaus Zellmer, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, Inc. “For our dealerships, who are at the core of our strategic initiatives, we think this blend of digital and physical interaction with customers will only strengthen their business.”
The service features new and pre-owned vehicles that are in a participating dealership’s inventory. It covers all aspects of buying, financing or leasing a selected vehicle, including payment and trade-in calculators, credit approval, and financing and insurance options through Porsche Financial Services. All of this is from the comfort of wherever a customer chooses to shop.
Customers can upload photos of their personal documents for ID verification and car pictures for trade-in valuation. With the information completed, the dealer can prepare the necessary paperwork for signing when the customer arrives.
The new process is integrated into the websites of participating dealers, who are distributed from coast to coast. At the same time, Porsche in Germany is launching a similar program as the sports car brand looks to expand its overall digital business.
