Toronto, Ontario — TRADER Corporation, a digital automotive solutions provider has teamed up with EQ Works to commission a survey examining foot traffic among 750 different Ontario dealerships. The findings of the study confirm a substantial increase in foot traffic between May and June 2020.
Walk-in data collected during the study revealed a 56 percent surge in unique visitors and an 81 percent increase in total dealership visits in June. The tracked Ontario dealerships also experienced a 46 percent increase in one-time visits, while repeat visits grew by 85 percent. This influx of consumer shopping demand is reinforced by a record-breaking month of traffic to the autoTRADER.ca marketplace, which reached a milestone of 22 million visits, after a previous record high in May.
“Following a few challenging months surrounding the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are observing promising consumer behaviour data,” says Ian MacDonald, chief marketing officer, TRADER Corporation. “Recent record-setting traffic on autoTRADER.ca coupled with a significant increase in dealership footfall affirms the auto industry’s current movement towards recovery.”
The study also found that both independent and franchise dealerships are benefiting from a sizable lift in consumer engagement. When examining footfall comparatively, the study recorded a 36 percent increase in visits to independent dealerships, while franchise dealerships experienced a staggering 154 percent increase in foot traffic.
For more industry insights and study findings from TRADER, click here.
