| The continued rise of e-commerce has had a | | | | controlling a convincing simulation of our next car. |
| significant effect on the way people spend their | | | | Certainly a future where car dealers employ |
| money, but how has it affected car dealers? | | | | these types of virtual tours will be able to provide |
| Certainly, private used car purchases have had a | | | | many advantages: indefinite numbers of |
| boom from the likes of e-bay, and dealerships are | | | | customers at any given time; minimal staff |
| certainly benefiting from an online presence that | | | | overheads; vehicles remaining in pristine condition |
| enables potential customers to search out stock | | | | until purchase. |
| at the click of a mouse. | | | | We would surely miss the much-maligned |
| Yet, will there ever come a time when a physical | | | | salesmen and saleswomen who offer a human |
| car dealership will become redundant, replaced by | | | | face to all our dealings, wouldn't we? Well, if |
| a virtual showroom online? Imagine: you search | | | | budget airlines and online shopping are any |
| for your model of choice, specifying all your | | | | indication, we seem to be increasingly happy to |
| desirables, and in a matter of seconds, you have | | | | make our own informed decisions about our |
| a list of appropriate vehicles ready for inspection. | | | | purchases without the need for any 'professional' |
| We're already there, of course. Nothing new. But | | | | opinions. Reviews by the general public have |
| what if when you select your vehicle, you are | | | | become significant, trusted sources. Pros and cons |
| able to inspect it in its entirety, millimetre by | | | | of the vehicle can be read, discussed and argued |
| millimetre, in a virtual 3D environment where | | | | about in online forums, meaning that the amount |
| everything looks incredibly real? | | | | of research and detail an individual wishes to |
| Of course, it's questionable whether anything will | | | | gather before buying is left to themselves, rather |
| truly be able to replace sitting in the driver's seat | | | | than being at the mercy of a sales person who's |
| ready to take it out for a test drive, the aroma | | | | primary focus is to make a sale and get their |
| of a leather interior pervading the air. Getting | | | | bonus. |
| excited about actually seeing a car, feeling it, | | | | So the way forward for car dealers is to place |
| taking it for a test drive - that's what seals any | | | | the emphasis on allowing the consumer to choose. |
| deal, isn't it? | | | | It may take some time and a great deal of |
| Could a virtual test drive, like an online video | | | | change in attitudes, as many car dealers are |
| game, replace the traditional method? Maybe not | | | | stereotypically still seen as being old fashioned. |
| with current technology, but with increasingly | | | | Like all businesses they'll have to adapt, and |
| more immersive technology on the horizon, we | | | | quickly, because as always, the future is here, and |
| could soon find ourselves examining and even | | | | it's here now. |