Forty-five percent of consumers who intend to buy an auto did their shopping online, demonstrating the importance of online research for auto sales, according to Diameter, a division of DoubleClick
Inc., and data from @plan Advertising. Additionally, the automobile sector is the fourth largest online shopping category, capturing 26% of the total adult population of online shoppers after airline
reservations (45%), books (40%), and clothing (29%). According to Diameter's @plan Advertising, while 25 % of the total visitors to automotive sites are currently in the market to purchase a new
car, a surprising number of the total visitors to African American sites (22%), men's sites (22%), and small business sites (20%) say "they will definitely or probably purchase a car within the next
six months." Information from this data also shows that online auto shoppers who are visiting automotive sites are especially interested in Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs). 24% of the total population
of online car shoppers who went to auto sites within the past 30 days shopped for SUVs, compared to 8% who shopped for sports/convertibles, 6% who shopped for station wagons, and 4% who shopped for
prestige luxury cars. Specifically, this audience segment showed the most interest in purchasing Fords (26%) and Chevrolets (20%).
