Cork-based car dealer group Kearys has said that one in four of its customers have moved their business online, and are now happy to complete end-to-end car buying through their computers.
'Deal & Deliver'
According to Kearys, the 'Deal & Deliver' service that it introduced in May, during the first national lockdown, has kept customers coming in through the virtual doors, with more than 1,000 new and used cars purchased across the Group's dealerships since then. The scheme allows customers to engage in a virtual appointment with a Kearys' salesperson via video chat, pay for a deposit online, get finance approval, sign documents, and even arrange a contactless seven-day home test drive. Kearys claims that cars can be delivered to customers in as little as 72 hours.
From the most to the least expensive
The cars available under the plan range from the most expensive (BMW X5s priced at around €85,000) to the cheapest (four-year-old Nissan Micras, priced from less than €10,000). Kearys, which claims to have the largest stock of used cars in the country, says that the most popular models sold through Deal & Deliver are the Renault Clio (2019), Nissan Micra (2019), Hyundai Tucson (2017), BMW 330E (2017) and Kia Sportage (2017).
New approach to car sales
Brendan Keary, Director, Kearys Motor Group and Managing Director CarStore in Dublin and Cork, commented on the company's new approach to car sales: "As more customers browse our stock and apply for finance online, we can now provide an end-to-end automotive buying experience for them. Kearys are the first motor group in Ireland with this technology, and with more contactless transactions required across all industries, we are delighted to have introduced our 'Deal & Deliver' service."
Kearys actually says that it was already beginning to transition some of its business to online shopping, but that the COVID restrictions first introduced in March rather accelerated that process. The Group has dealerships representing BMW, MINI, BMW Motorrad, Hyundai, Nissan and Renault franchises in Cork, Mallow and Midleton, as well as Kearys CarStore in Cork and Dublin.