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Windsor, which is one of the biggest car dealer groups in the country, is investing €1 million in its digital sales systems, as Irish buyers increasingly turn to online car buying.
Windsor is an authorised dealer for Nissan, Renault, Dacia, Opel, Peugeot, and Mazda, and sells some 12,000 cars annually across 15 dealerships, so this is a significant move. "Digital is re-shaping the future of car sales and the car showroom as we know it. We are moving with the times and so are our customers. Thousands of motorists are visiting our website each day and we have just sold our 100th used car online. This is very reassuring as we move ahead with the development and full roll-out of our online sales platform," said Peter Nicholson, Managing Director at Windsor.
"Windsor has invested more than €1 million in the development of its digital infrastructure to complement its traditional showroom sales model. The next step in the evolution of the www.windsor.ie website is to sell new cars online across the authorised brand range. Our research shows that 86 per cent of car buyers do at least half their vehicle research and shopping online and that 42 per cent of buyers are willing to buy their next car online. 70 per cent of buyers are confident to apply for car finance online. It is clear where the car industry is heading and we are responding to what customers want," said Mr. Nicholson.
"Although the old saying that people buy from people still rings true, we have taken a strategic approach to maintaining what customers like about the conventional showroom sales model and combining it with our digital platforms to support advanced online sales," he added. "Customers want peace of mind and confidence when buying a car so we have implemented a rigorous certified programme for our used cars to meet their needs. In addition they have the comfort of our rich heritage of over 50 years selling and servicing cars in the Irish market."
Right now, you can click and buy any used car on the Windsor website, using either Stripe digital payment, or a bank card. Currently, you do need to physically sign for the car when you collect it, but Windsor is working on a system that will accept digital signatures in the future.
There's also a configuration tool on the site that allows you to select the buying parameters that are important to you, and helps direct you to the car that suits you best, plus tools to help you sort out finance. Eventually, an online valuation system for your trade-in will also be available.
Windsor says that it has already sold 100 used cars using the online system.