Price, condition, after-sales service top priorities for Thai used car buyers: survey
Auto e-commerce platform Carsome has found that Thai buyers of used cars focus on three things – price, condition and after-sales service.
The survey found that 75 per cent of Thai drivers look for the most competitive price, 57 per cent focus on the appearance and condition of the car, while 46 per cent find the after-sales service important.
The Carsome Car Purchase Preference survey also revealed that Thai buyers want price transparency (52 per cent), extended warranty (45 per cent) and a five-day money-back guarantee (34 per cent).
Carsome recently launched its “New Way of Buying Cars” scheme in Thailand to offer a hassle-free car-buying experience. For this, the company has certified cars that it says come with the Carsome Promise, including a five-day money-back guarantee, a professional 175-point car inspection, a one-year warranty and a fixed price with no hidden fees.
“We want to solve customer pain points and improve the car-buying experience for Thai drivers,” said Paphatsarin Siribanlueyot, Carsome’s country head in Thailand.
The survey also found that Japanese brands are the most preferred among new and used car buyers, with Toyota (77 per cent) and Honda (63 per cent) leading the way. The most desired type among used car buyers are SUVs (29 per cent), closely followed by sedans (26 per cent) and pickup trucks (21 per cent).
While buyers of a new car are willing to pay between 800,000 and 2 million baht (54 per cent), used car buyers are only willing to spend between 200,000 and 600,000 baht (68 per cent). More than half of the used car buyers (52 per cent) were found to be earning between 15,001 and 35,000 baht a month.
In line with the work-from-home trend, Carsome has been hosting Facebook Live sessions with flash sales so people can buy their cars from the comfort of their own homes. The company also introduced Test Own, which allows buyers to test the car for five days. If they are not happy with their purchase, they can return it for a full refund.
Buyers can browse for cars on Carsome’s website or look through an e-catalogue at the Carsome Experience Center in Bangkok’s Bang Bon area.
