Buyers’ AI-powered research reshapes powersports purchases

AI-powered research tools are changing how consumers shop for powersports vehicles, prompting dealers to spend more time explaining financing options and correcting misconceptions about rates, promotions and pricing. Consumers are increasingly arriving at dealerships with information gathered from online searches and AI platforms, creating both opportunities and challenges for finance managers, Fun Bike Center Motorsports Finance Manager Samer Fidy tells Auto Finance News during an episode of “The Roadmap” podcast. “They’re coming to confirm the research that they’ve done online,” he says. At the same time, affordability remains a key factor in powersports financing decisions, with about 80% of the Lakeland, Fla., dealership’s customers focused on monthly payments as they evaluate motorcycles, personal watercraft and side-by-sides, Fidy says. AI-driven shopping behavior The preparation consumers are doing is leading finance teams to engage earlier in the buying process, Fidy says. “The monthly payment is key [to] us closing the deal,” he says. While AI tools can help shoppers gather information quickly, they can also create confusion when consumers encounter financing offers, rates or promotions that do not apply to a specific brand, vehicle or lender, Fidy says. “The challenge is people are coming more prepared. They’re coming with more knowledge, or they think they know more than we do.”  — Fun Bike Center Motorsports Finance Manager Samer FidyAffordability and financing options At the same time, longer loan terms, including 72- and 84-month financing options, continue to increase in powersports financing, particularly for higher-priced units such as personal watercraft, side-by-sides and premium motorcycles, Fidy says. Dealers now need to spend more time educating first-time buyers about credit, interest rates and financing structures, especially when a powersports purchase represents their first independent financing experience, he added. As AI adoption grows and consumers keep researching before entering a showroom, education is becoming a larger part of the sales and financing process, Fidy says. “I think this will be the new norm,” he says. “That’s why it’s important to educate your team on the importance of the dealership.”