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March 24, 2015 One Reason to Buy a Car Online: Fewer Awkward Moments How does buying a car over the internet and phone differ from negotiating a purchase in the showroom? Silences and other types of uncomfortable moments occurred in 43% of in-person sales encounters at auto dealerships, versus just 22% of sales telephone calls initiated via the internet, according to a study by Stephen R. Barley of Stanford University. Although internet-and-phone sales offer numerous benefits for consumers, two-thirds of customers in the U.S. and western Europe continue to purchase autos in person. SOURCE: At the auto dealer, internet and floor salesmen are under the same roof but a world apart, close monitoring of sales encounters reveals

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