Consumer comfort with digital dealership transactions continues to grow, but credit checks remain a notable exception, according to CDK.
Its latest State of F&I at the Dealership report found shoppers became more comfortable between 2025 and 2026 with submitting banking details, identification and other sensitive documents online. Yet comfort with completing a credit check digitally fell to 42 per cent from 49 per cent.
For dealers, that hesitation can create friction earlier in the financing process and contribute to mismatched expectations around affordability.
CDK said some shoppers remain concerned about the security of information stored online, while others prefer physical documents for major financial agreements even when they are comfortable completing routine paperwork digitally.
Another source of hesitation is concern that a credit inquiry will hurt a shopper’s credit score. CDK noted that financing estimates can use a soft credit check, while a hard inquiry typically occurs later when a loan application is finalized.
That distinction can matter because many shoppers enter dealerships without a clear understanding of the interest rate they may qualify for. Separate CDK research found 51 per cent of shoppers research their expected interest rate before arriving at a dealership.
Among buyers ultimately offered a higher interest rate than expected, 66 per cent had to restart their vehicle search because their original choice was no longer affordable, according to CDK.
The company said dealers can help reduce hesitation by clearly explaining the difference between soft and hard credit inquiries, outlining why credit information is required and providing secure digital environments for document submission.
CDK’s research found 88 per cent of respondents wanted dealerships to offer a secure digital portal where they could upload, view and download purchase-related documents.
