Green Revolution is here
August 27, 2008 Posted by: Faye Sunderland
When buyers are looking for greener cars the first place they turn is the internet. Here Really Good Domains reflects on the eco internet explosion.
If you were to rewind back about a year to the spring of 2007 and looked at the number of times internet users searched for the term ‘green cars’ you would see that virtually no-one was looking.
Funny thing was, those that did were more likely to be looking for British Racing Green rather than an environmentally friendly motor! But fast forward a year and that picture has significantly changed – ‘green cars’ and issues is one of the latest buzz words to sweep the motor industry. And it is one that’s likely to become increasingly more important as the tide moves in favour of leaner, more efficient, and cheaper-to-run cars than ever before.
High emissions vehicles that gulp down fuel are fast becoming unpopular – but the good news is this new breed of machine is taking their place. But the question is, should this move towards green cars be met with trepidation from dealers or seen as an opportunity?
Well, while it’s true the current credit crunch is tightening customer belts, there is a golden opportunity to show these same consumers that substantial running-cost savings can be achieved by considering the switch – lower CO2 emissions, higher mpg, regenerative breaking, and alternative fuel sources can all help in reducing monthly costs - potentially music to buyer’s ears in the current climate.
Websites such as TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk, run by Really Good Domains, provides a ‘one-stop shop’ for all things environmental.
‘Our aim for TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk was to bring together hundreds of suppliers that sell and lease new and nearly new green cars - it is unique in that sense,’ explains RGDs chief Dave Timmis. ‘ We also felt it was vital to really give the consumer as much information on every aspect of green cars, and in this respect we’ve added a huge amount of information on super-efficient diesels, electric cars, LPG conversions, hybrids, and even hydrogen fuelled vehicles.’
‘People aren’t ditching their cars, they are carefully planning their next purchase and are looking to avoid being stung by higher tax rates and escalating fuel bills and they are using the internet to aid their decision-making and to look for the best deals on greener alternatives. Equally, increasing numbers of fleet managers are looking to reduce their running costs and to swap expensive-to-run models with a green alternative. In the past 10 months we have seen a 500% increase in traffic.’
Manufacturers are making the move towards greener cars, with some scaling back and even ceasing production on some of their ‘gas-guzzlers’. But dealers could still benefit.
‘Wrongly some businesses decide to cut back on their advertising budgets in the face of a more difficult trading environment’ explained Timmis. ‘But if you scale back your advertising you are guaranteeing a downturn in business. There is a thriving, growing market for green cars and for the more astute dealership there are plenty of opportunities to defy the economic downturn.”
Link to original article Car Dealer Issue 6, page 51.
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Filed under: Green credentials, Latest news | Tags: dealers, Eco, Green cars, internet, opportunity |
