While 99% of luxury car purchase decisions start online, less than 1% of transactions happen there. Companies like DuPont Registry are bridging this gap by creating trusted platforms for sight-unseen purchases, catering to a new generation of enthusiasts who prioritize access and convenience over physical inspection.
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As buyers increasingly use AI as a research partner, the uniquely human aspects of a brand—trust, relationship, and service—become the most critical competitive advantage. When AI can compare features and pricing, the human experience is what will ultimately sway the decision.
Carvana's success isn't just about online convenience. Its fixed, no-negotiation pricing model eliminates the stress and distrust of traditional car dealerships. This psychological comfort is a valuable feature that customers willingly pay more for.
Harley Finkelstein describes the future of retail as "agentic," where a consumer's journey seamlessly crosses platforms. For example, a journey could start on TikTok, move to a physical pop-up, and conclude with a purchase inside the game Roblox, moving beyond the simpler online vs. offline dichotomy.
When customers can research product details online, the salesperson's value shifts from providing information to facilitating a superior experience. The customer isn't buying the car; they are buying the feeling and trust you create as a guide through the process. This emotional component becomes the key differentiator.
All major social platforms will be forced to integrate live shopping to compete, just as they all adopted 'stories'. This is a fundamental shift in consumer behavior, not a fleeting trend. In China, 30% of all e-commerce transactions already happen via live shopping, indicating its massive scale and inevitability in the West.
As digitally-native Gen Z buyers become primary decision-makers, they will favor seamless, self-service online experiences over personal sales calls. This will force a dramatic shift in the channel, potentially making the traditional relationship-based account manager role obsolete.
AI will fragment the customer journey across countless platforms, moving purchases away from brand-owned websites. Retailers must build systems to manage inventory and product information across this decentralized landscape, not just focus on perfecting their own site experience.
Personal AI agents will soon make automated purchases. Brands failing to build 'digital brand visibility' now by becoming trusted sources for LLMs will be completely invisible to these agents. This is the modern equivalent of not owning a domain name during the dot-com boom.
In a marketplace with endless options, product features are table stakes. The deciding factor for buyers is now the total experience. Salespeople have lost control of the buying cycle and must now influence it by delivering exceptional service and building trust from the first interaction.
Marketers focus on using AI as a new tool, but the more profound shift is that customers now use AI for research, comparison, and even RFP generation, fundamentally altering the buying journey before they ever interact with a brand.
