More than half of new-vehicle buyer households that attend the New York International Auto Show said their auto show experience influenced their buying decision, according to a study by Foresight Research.
The 10-year study of the show analyzed the attendance, demographics, media influence, value and purchase influence of the longtime event.
The study also touted the value of auto shows in general — they are ranked first as the most influential marketing channel or media channel, just ahead of digital, according to U.S. Auto Show Immersion Reports.
The study found that in the past decade, the New York show attracted an average of 628,000 households annually. About 83 percent of attendees said shopping was their motivation to attend. Last year, 62 percent of auto buyers attending the New York show said it influenced their decision.
The average "dwell time" at the show in 2019 was 4.75 hours compared with an average of 4.45 hours at all auto shows.
The research was collected from Foresight Research databases of general consumer and recent vehicle buyer surveys conducted over the past six years.
Each year, 229,000 brand additions are made to shoppers' lists as a result of seeing those brands at the show, according to the study.
Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, told Automotive News that the event allows shoppers to add or subtract brands to their consideration based on what they see at the show.
Attendees not only want to look at cars, but they want to be informed and engaged during the experience, Schienberg said.
