Hyundai expounds how 'Click to Buy' seeks to offer comprehensive digital retail

Hyundai Motor India on Wednesday underlined its commitment towards 'Click to Buy', its digital sales platform which offers prospective customers the option of not just booking a car through digital means but covers all aspects of inquiry, requests and payment options that would otherwise also be available at dealerships.

At a time when Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in massive decline in footfall at showrooms, automakers have strengthened online retail channels. Hyundai had already dabbled into digital sales in December of 2019 and further strengthened it to integrate over 500 dealerships in April. The Korean car maker promises an end-to-end solution to customers who are willing to buy a Hyundai vehicle but are unwilling to step inside a dealership.

Hyundai says 'Click to Buy' is India's first and only end-to-end car-buying platform. Company officials, in a virtual presentation for the media, explained how they assessed digital platforms of rival OEMs and found that most, if not all, only offered the option of making a booking online. This is where Hyundai looked to carve out a special place by addressing the pre-buying, booking, payment and post-buying needs of customers.

Touted as a one-stop solution for customers' car ownership requirement, the platform offers features such as on-road pricing, dedicated sales consultants, online finance options - currently with ICICI and HDFC, deal codes, special online promotions, online booking of test drive vehicles, digital payment options and the option of getting cars delivered at doorstep, among others.

Company officials explained that an extensive training program was conducted for sales executives through digital means during the past two months to enable them to facilitate customers who take the online option to inquire about or purchase new vehicles. Feedback from dealers were also considered to further improve the digital retail experience.

Every car and variant that Hyundai offers in India is available for purchase on the digital channel.

WS Oh, Executive Director – Corporate Planning at Hyundai Motor India, is of the opinion that digital sales channels will go hand-in-hand with the more traditional way of purchasing vehicles and that millennial are likely to adopt the newer way far more easily. "With the entire automotive ecosystem evolving around us, digital car buying platforms such as ‘Click to Buy’ will become the new normal," he said.

Hyundai says the online platform will act as an additional sales channel for more than 600 dealerships that have now been integrated.