Dealers must ensure their websites are optimised for the latest smartphones as consumers increasingly use the devices to search for vehicles and related finance.
According to e-commerce solutions company iVendi, the expanding screen size of modern smartphones, such as the Apple iPhone X, makes them more suitable for tasks that were previously more appropriate for tablets and laptops.
Its research shows that there has been a marked swing away from tablets to smartphones when buyers access UK dealer websites, although laptop use is almost unchanged year-on-year.
Smartphones now account for 69% of site visits, compared to 66% at the start of 2017. The use of tablets fell from 10% to 7% over the same period, based on figures taken from visits to dealer websites that use iVendi online motor retail technology.
James Tew, CEO at iVendi, said: “This is very much about the increase in popularity of larger screen smartphones and especially the iPhone X and other Plus models, which are having a measurable impact. For this reason, tablets are falling away.
“What it does underline is that dealers need to ensure that the functionality of their websites and their entire online motor retail experience is nothing less than superb.
“In 2018, the mobile is the online retail tool of choice and that applies as much to cars as it does to books, clothing or any other purchase.”
