Audi further expands its e-commerce offerings together with retail partners worldwide
- A range of digital offerings make it easier to accessnew and used cars
- Rollout of online reservation system in Europeanmarkets
- In Germany: online platform for purchasing new carsfrom dealer stock
Ingolstadt, May 27, 2020 – Against the backdrop of thecoronavirus crisis, Audi is intensifying its focus on digitalsolutions for its customers. The company and its dealershipsare integrating e–commerce solutions for purchasing newand used cars in more and more markets. France is the pilotmarket for a new online reservation tool, and online sales ofnew cars from dealer stock have been launched inGermany. But virtual consulting and service offers are alsocontinuing to gain importance.
“We’ve been engaged with the mega trend of digitalizationfor a long time now. Given the distancing required to containthe global coronavirus crisis, this has now picked up evenmore momentum worldwide,” said Sven Schuwirth, Head ofDigital Experience and Business at AUDI AG. “As a result, wehave been able to very quickly offer a variety of agilesolutions that enable a seamless digital customer journey.New e-commerce offerings in conjunction with ourdealerships play a key role here. We are increasinglyconverting our worldwide websites from purely informationaltools to true transaction tools.”
An online reservation tool for in-stock vehicles from Audipartners went live in the French market this week. For a lumpsum of EUR 100, customers can immediately reserve availablenew and used cars from dealers via the Audi website andthus secure their dream car. The respective dealer will thencontact the customer directly and handle the contractualdetails and delivery of the vehicle, even to the customer’shome, if desired. This e-commerce solution will gradually berolled out to other European markets, with the rollout in Spainstarting in June.
Another e-commerce project has meanwhile been launchedin Germany: On a new, Group-wide platform, customers willbe able to buy new cars around the clock directly from Audidealer stock. An initial pilot project with one Audi partner isnow underway, with additional dealerships to followsuccessively over the course of the year. “The aim is to offer acomplete digital solution that is contactless and available24/7, and that conveniently covers every step of the carpurchasing process from any location: from the purchaseusing various payment options to registration and personaldelivery to the desired location by our Audi partners,” saidMartin Wallenborn, Head of Business Development MarketGermany at AUDI AG. With respect to financing, the Audi pilot project is first starting with cash purchases. For the mediumterm, the company is focusing on an end-to-end digitalsolution for financing and leasing through Audi Bank. Theonline shop can now be accessed at https://kaufen.audi.de.This solution will also be rolled out successively in othermarkets worldwide.
Audi already started online sales of used cars in Germany inautumn 2017. Around 130 Audi partners offer an average of4,000 used Audi models online here. This sales channel will bemoved to the new online platform by the end of the year. Thepremium mobility service Audi on demand has also beenavailable completely digitally since last year: Customers inGermany can book their dream Audi online for a period ofbetween one and 28 days at www.audiondemand.de
The digital reservation and purchasing solutions also featurevarious tools for online service and consultation. With AudiLive Consultation, for example, Audi is further expanding itsdigital sales business, offering dealers and customers acontactless alternative to visits to a dealership. Theapplication connects sales and service staff with customersand potential Audi buyers with the use of data glasses, whichenables individual meetings to take place directly at andinside the car, regardless of location.
Audi also recently started answering questions about itsvehicles’ equipment details by using video tutorials, such asthose at www.audi.de/erklaervideos. Most of the 60 videoscurrently available here apply across model lines and focuson various aspects such as operation of the navigationsystem.
Audi dealers, especially those in China, have found creativedigital solutions in recent months to keep in touch withcustomers and to win over new fans. Audi opted for a purelydigital format when launching the new Audi A4 L, which is oneof the brand’s most popular models in the Chinese market.An interactive cloud workshop virtually connected Product,Design and Marketing experts from Changchun, Beijing andIngolstadt with around 800 media representatives. Millions ofinterested customers experienced a digital “Super CloudLaunch” that included augmented and virtual reality formatsin cooperation with a television station. In addition, ChineseAudi partners have made use of live streams, virtual realityshowrooms and 24-hour online consulting to stay in touchwith customers. The Chinese market has shown significantlyincreased interest in e- commerce. In the first three monthsof the year, the company almost tripled the total number ofits online transactions from 2019. This means that about onein six Chinese customers initiated their Audi purchase online.