Women taking the wheel when it comes to car maintenance
- Written by Chloe Fitzgerald
New data revealed today by Fixed Price Car Service has found more Aussie women are challenging the traditional ‘man’s world’ stereotype by taking the reins when it comes to booking the family car in to be serviced.
A survey completed by 2000 Australian men and women revealed Aussie women are driving online car service bookings, with one in three women in charge of vehicle servicing for the household and the majority of women handling their car maintenance.
Fixed Price Car Service CEO and Founder Eden Shirley said that their online comparison website helps over 20,000 women per month research and book mechanics by offering transparent and consistent pricing.
“Women are clear household champions when it comes to researching products and services online and we are now seeing more and more women turn to the internet to shop around for well-priced mechanics.” Mr Shirley said.
The data also revealed that not only are women empowering themselves with digital research to schedule a car service and negotiate price, but they will also remain loyal to a trustworthy mechanic with positive online reviews.
Almost 40 percent of women surveyed said good online reviews were the most important factor when choosing a mechanic, surpassing a convenient location, cheapest price and word of mouth recommendations.
The data showed that women are also the driving force when it comes to researching and planning holidays, with one in three women controlling the household travel itinerary before heading off on a trip.
With only 8 per cent of husbands or partners acting as the primary budget manager for the household, it is clear that women are the savvy and informed consumers controlling and managing household expenditure.
Although the online marketplace is levelling the playing field for women in the automotive space, there is still much progress to be made with almost 70 per cent of respondents believing mechanics were more likely to overcharge women than men for the same services.
The research also indicated that the majority of women have been stung by mechanics, with almost 60 per cent reporting they believe they have been previously overcharged for a car service.
“Our aim is to empower women to book automotive services with confidence,” Mr Shirley said.
“Fixed Price Car Service removes the guess work from quoting and delivers a convenient and transparent solution when booking a car service, which appeals to women who do not feel comfortable negotiating face to face with mechanics.
“Women represent 33% of visitors to Fixedpricecarservice.com.au, but account for 50% of bookings meaning they are almost twice as likely to book online over men.
“In an area where women have traditionally felt uncomfortable dealing with mechanics or negotiating costs, this is a great step forward.
“Regular servicing is crucially important when it comes to the safety of your vehicle, and we have found that women are much more diligent at maintaining the health of their car.”
As the leading car service booking platform in Australia, Fixed Price Car Service compares almost 1600 mechanics nationally, providing factory compliant service schedules, and offering upfront, fixed pricing for 97 per cent of vehicles on Australian roads.
For more information on Fixed Price Car Service visit www.fixedpricecarservice.com.au
Ends
Fixed Price Car Service is Australia’s leading real-time, dynamic price-based car service and repairs booking site. Established by CEO Eden Shirley and attracting cornerstone investment by Super Retail Group in December 2014, the company has helped over 1.3 million Australians compare and book with 1,580 mechanics Australia wide. Fixed Price Car Service isa more convenient and trusted way to book car services and repairs online. www.fixedpricecarservice.com.au
