COURSE PROJECT: CARMAX
About the Company CarMax is the largest used car dealership chain in the US with over 100 dealerships and have sold over 5 million cars.
The Problem Customers of CarMax are commonly undecided on the exact car they wish to purchase. Knowing what car type, make, model and options to select as the criteria for a buyer can be a confusing and a long and drawn out process. This often leads to potential customers leaving the dealership without buying a car and risk going elsewhere once their mind is more made up.
CarMax Goals Increase use of CarMax selection tool Increase conversion of tool-users to walk-in customers Increase conversion of walk-in customers to buyers
Project Scope Create an online tool Serves the goals of CarMax Pays attention to but goes way beyond the current CarMax tool Targets the identified customer segments
Where do people get their info?
© 2008 Jupiter Research, LLC 1 hour a week 13 hours a week © 2009 Harris Interactive
use search engines to locate automotive information 84% use search engines to locate automotive information conducted research before contacting a dealer 88% conducted research before contacting a dealer J.D. Power and Associates. Copyright © 2008 by J.D. Power and Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
84% start their research with Google!
Shoppers use different sites at different times10 New Car Buyer Usage of OEM, TPS, and Dealer Websites by month leading up to purchase Source: CNW Purchase Process Study, 2009; Digitas
A majority of customers come to a dealership after seeing them online first
Car buying influencers
Television Ads ♫ Autobahn for All Summer Event ♫
Magazine and Newspaper Ads
Web Search
Car Reviews
Dealership Websites
Word of Mouth
Social Media
Online Advertising
Purchase Space
Drop-off
Why does this have to be so hard?? Drop-off from fatigue, frustration and lack of forward motion
The customer journey