TAPPS - Understanding the Chinese car buyer Share this Understanding the Chinese car buyer 460 different car models compete for customers in China, with an additional 155 expected to arrive in the next 5 years. 8.18m new cars were sold in China in the first six months of 2013. (Source: China Passenger Car Association, June 2013) 90% of Chinese car buyers change their minds about the brand they set out to buy, once they get serious about making a purchase. 80% of Chinese who bought a car within the last two months did so because of a special deal or promotion, up from 43% in 2012. 51% Over half of Chinese car buyers decided against a brand after reading negative comments on social media sites. 26% of Chinese car buyers say car dealers are their most trusted source of information. 14% of Chinese first- time car buyers say that the opinion of family and friends is their most important influence. In TAPPS (The Automotive Path to Purchase Study), we talked to 1,000 people in China as they made a decision about which car to buy. We gathered the information in real-time to understand how people make decisions and what really is influential at each stage of the purchase journey. The full findings from TAPPS 2013 are available from October. To find out more please contact enquiries@ tnsglobal.com