Salesperson pressure was cited as the principal pain point in the car buying journey, a survey by online retailer Auto Trader found.

43% of the 1000 people interviewed over the last two years feared salesperson pressure when buying a car from a dealership. A third (33%) worried about negotiations on areas like pricing, finance and part-exchange in advance of the visit.

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However, the survey found that consumer perceptions were ‘often worse than reality’ as only 21% said salesperson pressure had actually been a problem, while 17% said they had not enjoyed negotiating with showroom staff.

When asked what could improve the buying experience, over a quarter (28%) of respondents said better information on the best car deals and finance would. The most popular answer, freedom to browse without pressure, was selected by 32% of respondents.

The research also found that buyer satisfaction was most clearly shaped by the offline experience, where retailers tended to do a good job. Three quarters of buyers said they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the whole buying process and face-to-face interaction was most likely to shape a positive impression.

Nick King, director of insight at Auto Trader, said: "There are clearly things that could be done to smooth the journey for buyers both on and offline. We know for example that part exchange negotiation is often the breaking point in a deal. We also know that more could be done online to inform buyers about competitive finance deals before they get to a showroom, perhaps pre-empting what might be seen as pushiness in the showroom. Making things more transparent online could help smooth pain points in the journey, leading to more business and happier customers."

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