Today’s consumers have been buying everything from shoes to furniture, and even cars online for years now. The big question for the building industry is-are they ready to purchase a new home online?
To get to the bottom of this question, BDX surveyed over 200 new home shoppers who were recently or are currently searching for a new home on the leading new home website, NewHomeSource.com. Let’s check out the results!
A majority (65%) of respondents said that they would pay a percentage of the home price online as a deposit. This is good news for builders who started with “Hold A Lot” sales and are already moving in this direction.
But what about completing the home buying process? 35% of shoppers surveyed said they would buy a home online, just as they would a car. As one respondent said, “I do everything online. Why not purchase my home online.”
It’s clear that in return for the willingness to buy online, shoppers expect a high level of fully interactive content to help in their decision making. The ability to see community layouts and maps topped the list of most requested content with 87%.
So how do you empower shoppers to feel confident to buy online? Here are some tips:
- Be responsive and accessible with your communication. Make sure you are prepared to reply to all online inquiries quickly and personally. Whether a question comes in via email, text, or social media, make sure you have a plan.
- Make sure all details and visuals are accurate in your online marketing. This helps build trust and confidence in the online process.
- Another way to build consumer trust is to be transparent with your pricing.
- Create an intuitive experience for shoppers that guides them through the process online. Think through the customer journey and make sure your online buying strategy is in sync. Create an online/offline strategy with intent so you may have digital continuity from your website to your sales and design studios.
Ready to get started on your eCommerce strategy or take things to a new level? BDX is here to help – email and we’ll be in touch.
