The reasons motorists shop online has changed over the past two years, switching from convenience to the capacity to compare prices and find a bargain, according to a new survey from car parts retailer Micksgarage.ie.
According to the survey, 36pc of motorists who shop online said the main reason they do so is because it allows them to shop around and do a price comparison. This figure was up from 15pc in a similar survey conducted in 2006.
The 2006 survey found that the 33pc of motorists who shopped online did so mainly because it was more convenient; this dropped to 23pc in the recent survey.
A quarter of 2008 respondents said the internet offers better value than traditional outlets.
“Searching for value has replaced convenience as the main reason for motorists shopping on the internet. This is a change from similar research conducted in 2006, when convenience was the main reason highlighted by motorists for shopping online,” said Ciaran Crean, managing director, MicksGarage.ie.
The survey also found that 78pc of motorists who shop online also check the price of fuel in a filling station before choosing a petrol station, with 15pc saying they do this sometimes and just 7pc saying they never do this.
The survey found that more than one in three drivers (38pc) admitted to using their mobile phone without a hands-free kit in the month prior to the survey.
The online survey polled 450 motorists who shop over the internet.
By Niall Byrne
