A recent Ipsos Reid (formerly Angus Reid) poll reveals that the Internet is becoming a popular tool for buying cars in Canada.
Half of the 63 per cent of Internet Canadians (those with Net access) have used the Internet to research a potential vehicle purchase, according to the poll commissioned by Autobytel.ca, an automotive e-commerce service.
One in every 10 of these has used the Net to initiate or complete a vehicle purchase, the poll said.
“Convenience, access to more detailed information and time-saving are among the main benefits Internet Canadians associate with using the Internet for vehicle purchases,” said Chris Martyn, senior vice-president of the Ipsos Reid Group.
Western-based Internet Canadians were more likely to use the Internet as a tool in the purchasing process. Fifty-four per cent of B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba residents used the Internet for researching and gathering information, compared to 48 per cent in Alberta, 46 per cent in Ontario, 47 per cent in Quebec and 46 per cent in Atlantic Canada.
The poll was based on a randomly selected sample of 1,500 Canadians. Within a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within +/- 2.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
