New research has found that a clear majority (56%) of car owners would still prefer to visit a showroom before buying their next vehicle, suggesting that physical retailers still have a vital role to play in the car purchase journey. The survey, commissioned by automotive digital marketing experts Marketing Delivery, asked 1,000 UK car owners to respond to the statement: ‘ When I next shop for a new vehicle, I would prefer not to visit a showroom at all.’ Over half said they ‘disagreed’ or ‘strongly disagreed’ with the statement, and only 7% of respondents said they would prefer not to visit a showroom at all. These findings largely echo the sentiment from previous research conducted in 2022, which found that 58% of car buyers ‘disagreed’ or ‘strongly disagreed’ with the same statement. However, the study also found a significant difference between age groups, with just 42% of car buyers aged between 26 and 35 saying they would prefer to visit a showroom before buying, versus 72% of those aged between 66 and 75. Charlotte Murray, director of Marketing Delivery, said: “Continued customer interest in showrooms is a positive signal for retailers that have a physical presence as part of an integrated omnichannel strategy. Automated digital tools can help retailers to provide a seamless transition between the online and in-person experience, ensuring that customers receive a relevant, tailored response at every touchpoint.” By using Marketing Delivery’s VoiceBox, retailers have access to AI-strategies and digital tools such as social media outreach, alongside email and SMS to deliver timely, proactive communication throughout the entire customer journey. The online conversation is then seamlessly transitioned to in-person communications through Marketing Delivery’s DMS integrations, such as Keyloop’s enquiryMAX solution, which automatically feeds online interactions back into the customer profile. Earlier this month, Marketing Delivery was acquired by TekCor4, a market leader in predictive aftersales intelligence and analytics. The move will accelerate integration of TekCor4’s data-driven insight platform and Marketing Delivery’s AI-powered customer engagement platform. This will help more retailers develop actionable insights into their business operations and customer behaviours, and use that intelligence to create AI-driven marketing campaigns that build loyalty and enhance long-term customer value. For more information about Marketing Delivery, visit www.marketingdelivery.co.uk .