Toronto, Ontario – Built-to-order (BTO) vehicle purchases gained popularity between 2021 and 2023 as dealer inventories hit record lows, and dealers believe those types of vehicle orders are here to stay.
With vehicle inventories now more stable than in recent years, DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC) reached out to both dealers and consumers to gather data as to the perceived future of this dynamic.
The research showed that Canadian vehicle purchasers are willing to wait for the delivery of their new vehicle. Only 10.1 percent of consumers noted a willingness to wait less than a week, while 55.7 percent said they would be willing to wait more than a month.
Nearly 23 percent of consumers stated they’d be willing to wait more than three months for a vehicle.
Dealers also believe that some form of BTO is here to stay. When asked about the outlook for sales in 2030, dealers stated that they expect 45.3 percent of sales at that time to be BTO–with traditional inventory sales at 54.7 percent.
“Consumers are willing to wait a reasonable amount of time to take delivery of their desired vehicle,” Andrew King, Managing Partner at DAC said. He continued, “Assuming supply chains are working efficiently and vehicles can be delivered promptly, extensive on-the-ground inventory does not appear to be a prerequisite for success in meeting consumer demand.”
This study is part of DAC’s annual Light Vehicle study survey. This includes 4,500 Canadian vehicle maintainers and purchasers who have tracked vehicle maintenance incidence, costs, DIY/DIFM rates, brand preferences, and much more across multiple product categories since 1992.
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