Coronavirus Impact : Change in Way of Purchasing Vehicles

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Coronavirus, economic slowdown push Indian auto industry to sell vehicles online.

New car sales in India have always been ruled by traditional brick and mortar stores. To the average Indian customer, buying a car is often the second most expensive purchase in his/her life. Online sales of new cars in India, though at a nascent stage, remain a very underutilised option.

But now it seems that this is the only option left with Automobile Companies to Survive in this Economic crash during Coronavirus and further in Post-Coronavirus Period.

Major Initiatives by Automobile Giants :

1.TATA Motors undefined

Tata Motors launched its online sales platform 'Click to Drive' offering end-to-end full digital sales experience enabling customers to buy its passenger vehicles with a click of a button. This platform has been integrated with all Tata Motors dealers from more than 750 outlets across the country and will also offer vehicle home delivery for customers at a later date, the company said in a statement.

The company said that customers can pay booking amount online, post which order confirmation will be sent by e-mail and they would be guided on the step-by-step buying journey.

2.Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) undefined

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) has launched ‘Own-Online’, an end to end, online vehicle ownership solution for its customers. Own-Online has been designed to offer a transparent, seamless and contactless experience from vehicle selection to delivery, the company said.

Through this service customers can finance, insure, exchange, accessorise and own a Mahindra vehicle in four simple steps, from their homes.

3.Hondaundefined

Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL) on Monday announced its online booking platform, ‘Honda from Home’ to offer car purchase options from the comfort of home, without having to visit the dealership. As per the company statement , interested customers can visit their website and select ‘Book Now’ option. After customer information validation, they can select the car model of their choice along with its variant/ fuel type, transmission (AT/MT) and colour and preferred dealership.

Once the formalities regarding documentation and payment are done, the car will be home-delivered to the customer at a later date.

4.Maruti Suzuki undefined

While Maruti Suzuki didn't sell even a single car in India last month, it did export 632 units from the Mundra port in Gujarat.

Due to this,Maruti has different web platforms for the Arena and NEXA chains. Both allow customers to book and or personalise their new Maruti car. Buyers can also submit digital documents to complete the vehicle purchase.

Customers can book and buy Maruti cars online and have them delivered at home.

5.Hyundai undefined

Hyundai’s ‘Click to Buy’ online purchasing platform was only limited to the NCR region before. But Hyundai has now rolled out the services across India by integrating over 500 dealerships. Hyundai will also deliver the car to your doorstep through the dealership nearest to your location. You can finance your purchase through the portal.

The ‘Click to Buy’ platform acts as an additional sales channel for Hyundai’s dealerships to create additional opportunities for remote interaction with customers, especially during periods when customers are unable to visit showrooms.

6.BMW undefined

BMW India, taking in to heed the ongoing pandemic, has commenced online bookings for its cars. The program, Contactless Experience, allows one to check new as well as used cars online. Throughout the digital process, a BMW representative will be online to help the customers with their queries. A 360-degree view of the vehicle, as well as its features, will also be provided to the customer.

The payment will also be accepted online while the serviced and sanitised vehicle will be handed over to the customer at their chosen delivery location.

.............................................And Many More Brands with their own online delivery programme

History of Online Vehicle Bookings in India

The online sale of vehicles is not exactly a new concept in India, although it is still at a very nascent stage. Two-wheeler makers like Hero MotoCorp, Suzuki, Mahindra two-wheelers, and TVS have tried the online path by collaborating with e-commerce platforms like Paytm and Snapdeal.

Hero’s association with Snapdeal began in November 2014, and within 10 months, it had sold three lakh units through Snapdeal’s website, amounting to a total value of Rs 1,500 crore. At the time, this was five percent of Hero MotoCorp’s annual sales.

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