EchoPark

EchoPark sells quality used vehicles at competitive prices in a haggle-free environment, enabling customers to afford the ride of their lives.

We dug into how purchasing decisions were being made.

We interviewed 24 used car buyers to better understand their motivations and to identify the factors influencing their decision to purchase or forego add-on protections and extended warranties. Some of the things we talked about:

  • Why they did (or didn’t) purchase
  • Their pain points
  • What they find valuable
  • Their comfort with purchasing online

This type of questioning helped us start to separate buyers into different groups.

We developed five distinct customer proto-personas to make marketing & sales strategies a breeze.

Through affinity diagramming, we identified two primary ways that buyers behave differently.

Their affinity to purchase add-ons.

Customers buy different protection plans relative to their proto-persona group. From the inexperienced buyers who want total protection to the skeptics who refuse to buy anything “extra.”

Their acceptance of guidance and recommendations from others.

Some buyers want personalized recommendations, while others want to “cut the fluff” and just hear the straightforward explanation of plan details.

Recommendations specific to each proto-persona create a clear plan of action.

Understanding each group’s approach to purchasing allowed us to create unique starting points that better address each group’s specific needs during the buying process.

The icing on top: Exploring each group’s thoughts and feelings about online shopping inspired new messaging and website features—a key component in EchoPark’s omnichannel strategy.

EchoPark's new understanding of their customers has led to improved strategies & better customer experiences.

This customer knowledge will serve as the foundation for EchoPark's strategy moving forward, sparking new life into their marketing and sales initiatives.

We’re hitting the accelerator—fueled by customer insights.

What we delivered to EchoPark:

Proto-personas

User Interviews

Research Insights

Strategic Recommendations