THE fear of the unknown remains a hurdle for firms trying to tempt fleets into buying over the internet, with them opting for traditional sources despite investigating electronic purchasing. Disposing of vehicles over the web is also posing new problems that fleet managers need to understand when moving away from physical sales, according to a recent report.

New research by online vehicle sales firm Autohit among 7,000 customers revealed almost 76% of all consumers using the internet when looking for a new car end up buying from a traditional dealer. Key concerns for buyers were the fact it was easier to purchase in person rather than learning new skills for web buying and also because they wanted to guarantee their car was bought in the UK. Only 10% expressed concerns about internet security when making a purchase online, the survey showed.

The survey revealed that 85% of buyers questioned had originally intended to buy on the internet, but opted for a 'bricks and mortar' dealer instead. The investigation was carried out through carpricecheck.com, Autohit's online 'price navigator', and also showed that there was growing pressure to be able to order vehicles online direct from the manufacturer. For fleets considering disposals over the internet, a study by AutoLocate revealed that car buyers are twice as likely to enquire about a vehicle on the web when the actual car is pictured, instead of just a library shot.