• As patience wanes and more people spend time being productive online, Ford is meeting changing customer preferences by launching Ready.Shop.Go.
• This new online car-shopping experience allows customers to search inventory, view pricing and incentives, lock in a deal for 48 hours (subject to vehicle availability), apply for financing, estimate trade-in values and schedule a test drive before ever setting foot in a showroom
• Ready.Shop.Go. rollout begins in the Midwest this month; it will be available across the United States by the end of 2018

DEARBORN, Mich., March 19, 2018 – The numbers don’t lie: people are becoming more and more impatient. Accordingly, demand for convenient, time-saving digital services is growing, and most consumers now consider surfing the internet a productive use of time.

These are some of the trends driving Ford’s decision to launch Ready.Shop.Go. – a flexible, transparent online car-shopping experience that allows customers to search inventory, view pricing and incentives, lock in a deal for 48 hours (subject to vehicle availability), apply for financing, estimate trade-in values and schedule a test drive before ever setting foot in a showroom. The result: less time spent at dealerships and more time hitting the open road.

“Our customers are busy people, whether with daily work demands or spending time with their families. Quality time is scarce and downtime is even more so,” said Mark LaNeve, vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “Ready.Shop.Go. allows them to find the perfect vehicle online, spend significantly less time at the dealership and drive away with their new ride sooner.”

It’s all about time. According to the Looking Further with Ford 2017 Trends book, 57 percent of people ages 30-44 find they are more impatient today than they were in the past. For ages 18-29, that percentage is even higher – 63 percent. Throw in the fact that 54 percent of those surveyed consider surfing the internet a productive use of time, and it becomes clear why tools like Ready.Shop.Go. that help consumers tackle their to-do’s efficiently are must-haves.

Launching in several Midwestern states this month ahead of becoming available throughout the country by the end of 2018, Ready.Shop.Go. offers:

• Pricing transparency – participating dealers set vehicle pricing, including taxes and fees
• Personalized incentives
• Finance and lease options
• Consumer promise honoring quoted deal for 48 hours (subject to vehicle availability)
• Pricing comparison -  review actual prices with the Kelley Blue Book® Price Advisor and Trade-In Values
• Options for scheduling test drives
• Online credit application process through Ford Credit
• Ability to save a deal and return later to complete the process
• Customer selects preferred method of contact by dealership
• Assignment of single point of contact on the dealer end to ensure the experience is well managed for the customer throughout the process

Future iterations of Ready.Shop.Go. will include customizable purchase and lease options powered by AutoFi, a fintech company in which Ford Motor Credit Company has invested. Customers also will be able to remotely review and digitally execute contracts with Ford Credit in the future.

“As we worked with our dealers to develop Ready.Shop.Go., it was important to make sure the experience benefited both our customers and our dealers,” said LaNeve “This experience delivers the functionality and flexibility customers need to select a vehicle at their preferred dealership, then apply for financing before ever stepping into a showroom, saving both customers and dealers valuable time.”

Chad Secrest, general manager of Germain Ford in Columbus, Ohio, was involved in the pilot program for the innovative new shopping experience. He said it’s a game changer.

“It’s a great program – a great way for customers to save time and build trust with a dealership,” said Secrest. “They know going in they’ve secured a good deal from researching online and establishing a relationship with their dealer contact.”