Americans Return to Car Dealers, Thwarting Expected Shift Online

  • Date: 12-Jun-2020
  • Source: Bloomberg
  • Sector:Economy
  • Country:UAE
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Americans Return to Car Dealers, Thwarting Expected Shift Online

The retail format people love to hate bounces back, thanks in part to the industry being forced to add tech tools during virus shutdowns.. Even though that total meant sales plummeted about 75% at his 12 dealerships in the Los Angeles area, Sullivan had reasons to be encouraged.. But since California loosened its coronavirus restrictions in May, shoppers have come back to Sullivan's showrooms.. "The people that did it thoroughly enjoyed it, but right after that they went to the old way of doing business," Sullivan said.. The idea was that even stalwarts of brick-and-mortar retail with loyal patrons seeking touch-and-feel experiences-like test drives at auto dealerships and picking fruit in grocery stores-could be in trouble.. But after online car purchases surged, shoppers are returning to showrooms as the economy reopens.. It sold about 200,000 cars in 2019 but has said it sees a path to 2 million a year.. Stocks Tumble Most in 12 Weeks on Economy, Virus: Markets Wrap.