Perceived disintermediation of the automobile industry via Internet and consequent changes in consumer behavior and the marketing mix: A cross-cultural study in Turkey and the United States

The problem. The purpose of this research was a cross-cultural study of automobile customers' perceptions about the extent to which Internet use will reduce the traditional channels of distribution in the automobile industry between the U.S. and Turkey. Customer satisfaction was examined with several factors related to Internet usage as a method of automobile purchase in the automobile industry.; Method. A descriptive study was conducted, utilizing usable responses from a total of 207 American and 148 Turkish respondents. Students' t-tests examined differences and similarities between the mean responses of automobile buyers, and a One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to identify three types of methods. Chi-square tests examined nominal data, and Pearson r tested relationships.; Results. Internet use is high for American and Turkish respondents. Both are confident about using the Internet; both are likely to use direct on-line or cybermediaries for future automobile purchases. Regarding “convenience,” the respondents in both countries favored the “on-line” to the “off-line” approach. Turkish respondents are slightly higher than American respondents in the use of on-line buying. Turkish respondents are more inclined to use traditional car dealers, when compared with American respondents. Both American and Turkish respondents' perception of price is that the Internet's is lower than a traditional car dealers' price. It was also observed that the Internet makes customization such as a sunroof, optional tires, air conditioning, and color choice easier for customers. However, no such differences were found with regard to optional radio and tint on the windows. Both groups were satisfied regarding methods used. Although previously used methods such as traditional car dealers and cybermediaries were satisfactory, both respondent groups preferred using the Internet. Both felt it is important to see all available advertising media, including the Internet, before making their car buying choices, however respondents reported that newspaper ads were ineffective.