BearingPoint Study on Online Car Purchasing: Mercedes and NIO Overtake Tesla

As it turns out, Tesla is no longer the sole benchmark in online car sales and is now surpassed in online maturity by Mercedes and NIO. For most leading automotive manufacturers, online sales have become a strategic focus in the reorientation of their sales processes. Leading car manufacturers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz plan to sell around 25 percent of their vehicles online by 2025.

The study by management and technology consultancy BearingPoint evaluates the online sales maturity of over 100 automotive OEM shops in the leading automotive regions Europe, the USA, and China for the fourth consecutive year in three phases of the customer journey: pre-sales, sales, and vehicle delivery and usage. Key factors here are functionality, customer experience, and the continuity of the customer journey, as well as the extent to which these aspects are represented online.

Mercedes and NIO now have the best online stores

This year's study reveals a significant leadership change in the field of online car sales. While Tesla was at the forefront in all previous studies, Mercedes-Benz and NIO have surpassed Tesla in the maturity of their online sales in 2024. Both brands are distinguished by a consistently coherent online sales experience as well as a high level of personalization and customer orientation throughout the entire customer journey.

Germany as a Global Leader

With an average maturity level of 31.7 out of a possible 51 points, Germany once again stands out as a leader among all evaluated markets this year, followed by the Netherlands with 31.3 and Italy with 30.6 points. In comparison, the American and Chinese markets rank 7th and 8th, with a maturity level of about 26 points. As a German automaker, Mercedes-Benz leads both in Germany and worldwide. In addition to Mercedes, five other German brands are represented among the top 10 in their home market. This strong presence and the success of domestic brands underscore the significant influence of their national market strength.

Particularly in the pre-sales phase, German manufacturers demonstrate their competence by successfully digitizing the customer journey through the integration of digital solutions, improving the user experience, and optimizing the purchasing process. Additionally, subscription models have become an extremely popular element of online sales in Germany, offering customers even more flexibility in leasing.

Market Differences Influence the Online Sales Maturity of Vehicle Manufacturers

This year's study reveals significant differences regarding the online maturity and seamless customer journey of many manufacturers across different markets. The online maturity of an identical manufacturer can vary by up to 60 percent depending on the market. Particularly striking is that market leaders in online sales perform especially well in their home markets. For instance, the Mercedes-Benz online shop in Germany was awarded as a global leader, whereas the German manufacturer scored up to 30 percent fewer points in other countries. In China, however, NIO has the best online sales. Christoph Landgrebe, partner at BearingPoint, comments:

"These results show that many manufacturers initially start pilot projects in their home markets and successively follow up with the maturity level in other markets after successful testing. This leads to significant differences in assessments and underscores the importance of strategically growing in key markets in the future to achieve a consistent level of online sales internationally."

Personalization and Digitalization as Leading Trends in Online Car Sales

The study provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in online car sales. A particularly outstanding trend is the significant rise in automakers - now nearly 50 percent - who enable the purchase of personalized vehicle configurations online.

Christoph Landgrebe explains: "Compared to the previous year, the offering in online car sales has virtually exploded, highlighting the increasing focus on individualization, process optimization, and seamlessly integrated IT systems. This development is revolutionizing the automotive trade by simplifying the purchase process and significantly improving the customer experience. Additionally, this shift reflects the general trend that many manufacturers are moving from traditional, dealer-based franchise models to alternative distribution strategies. This brings a fundamental change in the responsibilities between OEMs and dealers."

The study also emphasizes the increasing digitalization of the customer journey. The results show that 47 percent of all customer contact points can now be fully mapped online. However, the analysis also reveals that a fully online customer journey is still not possible at some contact points, which is why customers have to partially rely on offline channels.