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HOOGResearch & Advisory

Mobility & Automotive

Purchase Journey Study for Light Commercial Vehicle Buyers

Mapping how small business owners and fleet operators choose light commercial vehicles.

Example engagement
Client
Commercial vehicle manufacturer
Industry
Mobility & Automotive
Geography
India (multi-region)
Duration
7 weeks
Capabilities
Customer & Consumer Insights, B2B Research

Research design at a glance

How the work is structured

India (multi-region) · 7 weeks

  1. 1

    Owner-driver and fleet IDIs

    Recent buyers and intenders.

  2. 2

    Dealer and financier interviews

    Influence on brand choice.

  3. 3

    Buyer survey

    Decision factors and touchpoints.

  4. 4

    Total-cost-of-ownership comparison

    Running costs versus competitors.

Qualitative depth

Interviews, groups & observation

  • Buyer IDIs~30
  • Dealer and financier interviews~15

Quantitative scale

Surveys, audits & measurement

  • Survey responses~600

Sample sizes are indicative of a typical design for this type of question; real engagements are scoped to the decision.

01

Client context

The manufacturer was launching a new light commercial vehicle and needed to understand buyer decision-making.

02

Business challenge

Buyers ranged from first-time owner-drivers to small fleet operators with different priorities.

03

Research objective & questions

Map the purchase journey and identify the factors that win buyers at each stage.

  • Who influences the purchase decision?
  • Which factors — mileage, payload, finance, resale — drive choice?
  • How important are financiers and dealers?
  • What would make buyers switch from their current brand?

04

Methodology & approach

Owner-driver and fleet IDIs
Recent buyers and intenders.
Dealer and financier interviews
Influence on brand choice.
Buyer survey
Decision factors and touchpoints.
Total-cost-of-ownership comparison
Running costs versus competitors.

05

Sample & geography

  • ~30 buyer IDIs
  • ~15 dealer and financier interviews
  • ~600 survey responses
  • Geography — India (multi-region)

06

Key findings

  • Financiers strongly influenced brand choice for first-time buyers.
  • Running cost and uptime mattered more than purchase price.
  • Word of mouth among drivers shaped consideration.
  • Service network proximity was a deciding factor in smaller towns.

07

Business implications

  • Build financier partnerships for first-time buyers.
  • Communicate running cost and uptime advantages.
  • Prioritise service network expansion in target towns.

08

Outcome

The manufacturer received a purchase journey map and launch go-to-market recommendations.

Example engagement — Shows how Hoog approaches this type of question. Not a specific client project. Findings are directional.

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