Purchasing goods and services through online channels on the internet is a common today. In fact, many people prefer the convenience as they do not have to go to a shop to buy what they want, thereby saving on transportations costs and the dreaded search for a parking space. And they can also use the time saved to do other more important things in their life.
The good thing about the online ‘store’ is that it is open 24 hours so if you want to order late at night, you can do so (although responses to queries might not be available outside normal working hours).
Online purchasing, which can be considered a modern equivalent of the mail-order business which has been around for decades, has been around since the 21st century started, though it was slow to catch on initially. However, the COVID-19 pandemic helped to boost its popularity as many people were forced to use it due to restrictions on movements and concerns about infected when shopping in crowded areas.
Thus online purchasing began to grow rapidly as people found it convenient and used it more often. Merchants also began to develop their business systems to cater for this trend, accepting orders online and arranging for deliveries by the other trucks or using delivery services.
Online sales in the auto industry
In the auto industry, selling cars online began 7 years ago in Europe but it did not see immediate popularity. Somehow, for a product like a car, customers still needed to touch and feel – and drive – the product before deciding, so visiting a showroom (or having a salesman bring the car over) was still a necessary part of the sales process.
Initially, the process was quite basic, allowing orders to be made and customers could also specify their preferences for colours and other optional items. This was slowly broadened to include other services related to a purchase so that a customer didn’t really have to go to the showroom at all until the car was ready to be collected.
In Malaysia, a number of companies began to use their online channels to sell over the past 6 years. They already had websites so it was a matter of adding on a booking feature as well, and with online transactions becoming convenient, booking fees could easily be made without having to go to the showroom as well.
Basic functions initially
The early online sales channels were limited to accepting bookings and some degree of configuration of the model (colours, options, etc). They basically initiated the purchasing process but once the booking had been made online, a salesman would then be assigned to take the customer through the rest of the process and paperwork. In particular, loan applications still needed documents and signatures so physical interaction was still necessary.
There was also the matter of a trade-in which also needed the salesman to be involved in assessing the value. So buying a car online wasn’t as easy as ordering a pizza where you order, pay and the pizza arrives at your doorstep in 45 minutes.
Perodua has had an online channel for sales for 4 years though it was not publicised a lot. As with many of the Malaysian automaker’s initiatives, the initial phase is often one where it gathers feedback and understands customer needs better so as to refine and improve the product or service.
Click here to go to the new Perodua Online Booking site
Improved process and scope
Now after 4 years, the company has broadened the scope of its online process so that customers can have a seamless digital age experience. The timing is right as online purchasing is now very much an accepted thing, along with cashless payments being available through various services and from all banks. And being online, a customer can do so from home, office… or even while on the beach in Bali! Incidentally, Online Booking is available for Malaysian citizens as well as non-citizens.
Using the Perodua Online Booking process starts with visiting the Perodua website and clicking on the Online Booking section of the menu. Some basic details such as your location, purchase type (loan or cash) and whether it is personal/individual or a business purchase need to be filled in.
Once that is done, you can then proceed to pick the model of your choice, and the entire range from Perodua is available. You can choose your preferred colour and depending on the model, there may be options and GearUp accessories that can be included.
Unfortunately, if you want a special registration number or transfer an existing one to the new vehicle, that’s not possible to do online but the Sales Advisor will be able to assist on that if you make the request known.
Cash or loan?
Once you have made all the required choices, then you can either click on ‘Book Now’ to confirm the booking, or you can make a request for an official quotation before proceeding further. In any case, you are shown a detailed summary of the purchase with all the associated costs. Insurance is not included as this is a variable amount but that can be quickly processed at a later stage.
Though many people take a hire-purchase (H-P) loan, there are also some who pay the full amount by cash and this option, as mentioned earlier, is also available. For those who choose the H-P loan, there is also a handy loan calculator to work out monthly instalments, so you know what you are making a commitment for.
For those who want a loan, an application will be made to one of the banks on Perodua’s panel and a bank officer will make contact to obtain the necessary details and documents. Upon approval of the loan, the customer and Perodua will then be informed and the process will continue.
Data security assured
Once you are sure of the purchase, then you need to provide all the details about yourself which are necessary for Perodua’s records and for the purchase. The Data Protection Act ensures that all your personal information is treated as confidential and the website is also protected by SSL encryption, ensuring that data is securely encrypted during transmission.
If you want to surprise your father or wife with a new car, it is also possible to purchase it on their behalf and this can be indicated in the section of the recipient of the car. However, it should be noted that only one new vehicle can be booked at a time and a second online booking by the same person will only be accepted when the first one is delivered.
Pick a preferred outlet
You can also choose an authorised Perodua outlet anywhere in the nation to handle your purchase and even select a Sales Advisor from a list shown. You even get to see what he or she looks like and there’s a star rating of their services.
Have an existing car to trade-in? That’s also possible to do online and you just need to indicate it. The Sales Advisor assigned to you will assist in providing a valuation which will then be factored in with the H-P loan (if you are taking one). At this point, you can also ask for a test-drive as well.
All that remains then is to pay the booking fee of RM100. There are no other charges for using the online channel for the purchase. Payment can be easily made by a bank transfer using the FPX (Financial Process Exchange) service.
You can still change your mind
Should you change your mind for any reason, the booking can be cancelled and the fee refunded (subject to Terms & Conditions). This will, however, require getting in touch with the Sales Advisor.
Perodua says that using Online Booking is the same as walking into a showroom with regard to waiting time. As soon as your order is confirmed and the loan (if taken) is approved, a unit will be allocated and depending on the stock at the dealer or production time (if it is a very popular model), the estimated delivery date will be provided. Before that final allocation is confirmed, you can also make changes to your choices (eg colour) if you wish by contacting the Sales Advisor.
To track the status of the order, Perodua recommends registering with UFirst, the brand’s loyalty programme. This provides customers and owners with access to all of Perodua’s services and benefits, including Online Booking. There’s no charge for registering and this can be done after installing an app on your smartphone (applicable to Android and iOS).
Ready to buy a Perodua? The showroom is just a click away!
