Final answer:
The Internet's influence on car sales through reducing dealership visits represents a disruptive technology, which is a product or service that fundamentally changes the way an industry operates or creates new markets.
Step-by-step explanation:
The impact of the Internet on the traditional automobile purchasing process can be defined as a disruptive technology. It has significantly altered the dynamics of the industry, allowing consumers to research and potentially purchase vehicles online, reducing the need for multiple dealership visits. This is an example of how disruptive technologies introduce new methods that can improve and potentially replace existing practices over time. Other examples of disruptive technologies include digital photography, online music purchasing, and cloud-based storage platforms. These technologies have not only changed industries but also impacted societies and economies as they spread globally, influenced by factors such as globalization and advancements in communication technologies.
The complete question is:
Because most automobile purchases were made through retail channels such as car dealerships, where consumers typically visited four times prior to purchasing a vehicle, the Internet was a(n) ___________.
a) disruptive technology
b) Unsustaining technology
c) non-disruptive technology
d) Transaction site
e) Sustaining technology