mbusa e-commerce
THE FUTURE OF AUTOMOTIVE
OVERVIEW
The Challenge: How can Mercedes-Benz sell cars online?
Client: Mercedes-Benz
Role: Senior Experience Designer
Duration: October 2016 – April 2019
The future of shopping for a Mercedes-Benz — from the comforts of home.
An increasing number of consumers want to do everything online. Customers want transparent pricing, multiple options, full customization, flexibility, and demand technologies that support and enhance the car buying/owning experience. More than half of global customers are willing to buy autos entirely online [Deloitte Consumer Survey] and Tesla has all but abandoned its store-front model. Legal boundaries with dealerships notwithstanding, Mercedes-Benz recognized that getting into the e-commerce space is the best chance to survive and thrive.
RESERVE ONLINE
The first step towards online vehicle sales is a pilot program called the Digital Shopping Experience, or DSE. It gives shoppers the ability to reserve a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle online. Shoppers can learn about how the reservation process works on every page throughout the CPO Inventory experience. Once they select a vehicle they would like to purchase at an online only pre-negotiated price, they fill out a reservation form with a $1000 deposit. The dealer will contact them within 24 hours, and the final details are worked out at the dealership. My work on bringing MBUSA’s first ever digital shopping experience directly converts shoppers into owners.
User flow for the pilot program, launched in early 2017.
As of December 2018, the pilot has expanded from 3 dealers in the Portland region to 13 dealers in 4 regions. There has been 25 vehicles sold online, with zero bargain pricing. The clients consider this pilot program to be a success, and plan to roll it out nationally in 2019.
FUTURE STATE
The Digital Shopping Experience, now called Commerce, is an ongoing initiative for Mercedes-Benz. Now that users can reserve vehicles online, how do we get to actually buy a car online?
Commerce on mbusa.com will require a harmonious collaboration between MBUSA, MBFS (Mercedes-Benz Financial Services), and the dealers, which is no easy feat.
User flow for the future state of commerce on mbusa.com
The Commerce initiative is truly transforming the way Mercedes-Benz does business, and I am excited to be pioneering the experience, which new for the brand and new entire industry.