Abstract

Purpose – O2O (online to off-line) is a new economic concept being emerged in the 4th industrial age. Automobile distribution is also undergoing a change to the O2O system. In overseas, vehicles are already being sold through various online platforms. The purpose of this study is to analyze the domestic and foreign automobile distribution structure and intends to suggest the desirable direction of automobile sales in the 4th industrial age. Research design, data, and methodology – Through the investigation of previous studies and the actual cases, the advantages and disadvantages and trends of different types of automobile distribution structures. Result – It can be seen that domestic and foreign automobile brands have quite diverse distribution structures such as direct managed system, agency system, dealer system, direct sales system, online system and online/offline parallel system. Each type has its own characteristics. Conclusion – The distribution structure of automobiles is very diverse, and in particular, it is rapidly changing to an online sales system thanks to the development of information and communication technology and Internet technology and the popularization of smartphones. Through the online system, consumers can quickly and conveniently obtain vehicle information. Although the online sales system has many advantages, it requires continuous management