agent Entrepreneur logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Study: Consumers Want to Buy Big-Ticket Items From Their Smartphones

SAN FRANCISCO — A new study shows that one-third of consumers are open to buying cars from their mobile device. However, the same study showed that 86% of them still want to test-drive the vehicle before purchases. The study, which surveyed, 1,185 consumers, was conducted by Survata on behalf of Roadster, a three-year-old company that ... Read More »

August 18, 2016
2 min to read


SAN FRANCISCO — A new study shows that one-third of consumers are open to buying cars from their mobile device. However, the same study showed that 86% of them still want to test-drive the vehicle before purchases.

The study, which surveyed, 1,185 consumers, was conducted by Survata on behalf of Roadster, a three-year-old company that offers that type of service. Using their mobile phone, consumers shop for vehicles on the company’s site, while Roadster brokers the deal with participating dealers once a vehicle is selected. And according to its study, it’s not just shoppers in tech-specific cities who want that type of experience.

Ad Loading...

“It’s clear from the results of our survey that consumers are open to new ways of shopping for big ticket items,” said Andy Moss, CEO of Roadster. “With Roadster, we have incorporated some of the most cutting-edge ecommerce technologies into car shopping to make car buying as easy as buying anything else online. On Roadster.com and our partner dealer sites, consumers can now find a car they like on their mobile device, purchase it directly with our ecommerce technology, and have it delivered to their doorstep, sometimes even the same day.”

The survey found that men (41%) are more interested in buying cars from their smartphone than women (21%). It also found that consumers with household incomes of more than $150,000 are more likely to transact online.

The survey also showed consumers are willing to buy F&I products from their smartphone, with 31% respondents saying they’d be interested in selecting their “warranty,” and 27% saying they’d be interested in selecting their service plan.

Additionally, 45% of respondents said they wished the auto industry would introduce free delivery. Forty-five percent of respondents said they want free return, while 44% said they wanted fixed pricing.

And consumer who weren’t interested in purchasing big-ticket items from their smartphones said they would reconsider if they knew there were significant savings involved. According to survey results, 43 percent of consumers expected to save $2,000 or more by purchasing a car on their smartphone vs. going to the dealership. Thirty-one percent believed they would asave three to four hours by conducting the transaction online.

More Industry

The outside of a blue Gregg Young Chevrolet dealership.
Industry•by Lauren Lawrence•October 22, 2026

Nebraska Rooftop Changes Hands

The Gregg Young Automotive Group has sold its second dealership to Janssen Auto Group, both in Plattsmouth, Neb.

Read More →
Two white men's shaking hands
Industry•October 15, 2026

Penske Auto Group Deal a Record

The deal to take the dealership and transportation services company private sets a new pace for industry buy-sell transactions.

Read More →
Rows of cars parked in exterior lot
Industry•by Hannah Mitchell•October 8, 2026

War Toll a Damper on Used Auto Prices

Cox Automotive found wholesale depreciation to be elevated in September amid high fuel prices and this year's unusual hurricane season.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Mechanic cleaning interior of engine
Industry•by Lauren Lawrence•October 8, 2026

Bridge the Maintenance Gap

With many drivers missing recommended maintenance, service departments offering transparency and efficiency have a better chance of reaching financially strained consumers.

Read More →
Ford F-150 truck rounding a curve
Industry•by Hannah Mitchell•October 1, 2026

California Store Has New Owner

The longtime dealership in the northern part of the state is known for robust fleet sales and has served the state capital for 115 years.

Read More →
crane lowering a pipeline into the ground
Industry•by Lauren Lawrence•October 1, 2026

BMW Plant Pursues Cleaner Energy

BMW Group Plant Leipzig has utilized hydrogen to help power its production since 2013, but a new pipeline is planned to take it to another level.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Two dodge cars outside of dealership.
Industry•by Lauren Lawrence•September 17, 2026

Auto Affordability Inches Up

The latest Cox Automotive and Moody’s Analytics index shows a slight increase in new-vehicle affordability despite high prices.

Read More →
Five men smiling for photo in front of Honda car dealership.
Industry•by Lauren Lawrence•September 10, 2026

Ohio Auto Group Under New Ownership

After 79 years with the Schluter family, Mansfield Auto Group has been acquired by Missouri-based Clement Auto Group.

Read More →
Blue and white RV parked on beach facing the ocean.
Industry•by Lauren Lawrence•September 3, 2026

RV Group Expands Carolina Footprint

Blue Compass RV Columbia Northeast is the 13th RV dealership owned by Blue Compass in the Carolinas.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of two men and one woman on a discussion panel
Industry•by Hannah Mitchell•September 1, 2026

Agent Acumen

An Agent Summit panel of people who’ve been supporting auto dealers for years gave both timely and timeless advice for those starting out or mulling the prospect.

Read More →
Ad Loading...