Automobile consumers’ satisfaction with the purchasing expertise dimmed final 12 months as they encountered a scarcity of latest fashions and better sticker costs on dealership tons, however they continue to be happier with the method general than earlier than the onset of the pandemic.

That is among the many findings of a Cox Automotive shopper survey out this week. Patrons’ satisfaction with the purchasing expertise from the analysis stage by means of supply dipped to 66 p.c in 2021, down from a peak of 72 p.c in 2020 however an enchancment from 60 p.c in 2019, in accordance with the survey.

Customers who did extra of their buy digitally tended to be happier with their expertise than those that did extra work in particular person, Cox discovered. And consumers’ satisfaction with their expertise whereas at a dealership additionally stayed above pre-pandemic ranges — 75 p.c final 12 months, which is actually unchanged from 77 p.c in 2020 however higher than 70 p.c in 2019, in accordance with the survey.

The findings sign that auto retailers have adjusted their buy processes in the course of the pandemic in ways in which resonate with customers, even because the market continues to be challenged by a scarcity of microchips and new automobiles that has pushed up costs, mentioned Vanessa Ton, senior trade intelligence supervisor for Cox Automotive.

Customers reported transaction instances at a dealership that had been just like 2020 and sooner than years previous, and extra satisfaction with digital choices, together with when making use of for financing, the survey discovered.

Ton mentioned she anticipated that customers could be extra discontent with the general purchasing expertise with fewer automobiles to select from and rising costs on people who had been obtainable. As a substitute, she mentioned, dealerships now supply digital buy choices, assist with financing and clear services throughout a pandemic — all of which have made the expertise tolerable, even fulfilling.

“I simply thought individuals had been so bitter on stock challenges that that is going to bitter their expertise,” Ton mentioned. “However that was not the case in any respect.”

The findings recommend dealerships have been capable of maintain the effectivity of latest digital buy practices they put in place at an accelerated price beginning in 2020, she mentioned. That is when the beginning of the pandemic within the U.S. pressured auto retailers in lots of states to quickly shut their shops to in-person enterprise.

Cox surveyed 2,976 U.S. customers who both purchased or leased a automobile, new or used, from September 2020 to August 2021. The survey tracked each consumers’ satisfaction with the analysis and purchasing steps of a automobile buy, in addition to with their expertise at a dealership.

The macro-level constraints dampened customers’ belief within the automobile deal and the way glad they had been with the quantity they paid, in accordance with the survey, however the affect wasn’t as steep for consumers who accomplished extra buy steps on-line. Seven in 10 customers who did greater than half of their transaction digitally mentioned they trusted they received the most effective deal from the dealership, the survey findings confirmed, in contrast with 59 p.c of customers who did not more than 20 p.c of their buy on-line.

“I feel you are higher ready and also you’re most likely scouring the Web and being extra detail-oriented. Subsequently, you are most likely capable of finding a greater choice,” Ton mentioned of the extra closely digital consumers. “You most likely discover that with extra choice, you could have extra choices in worth — subsequently, it is going that can assist you make the most effective buy resolution that you would be able to make.

“Subsequently, you are extra glad with the general course of, and also you save time since you’ve been fairly environment friendly in doing every thing that you have to get executed on-line previous to going to the dealership.”