9:31 pm, December 19, 2011
Winner: Tescocars.com | Produced by Tesco Cars
Commended: motorrange.co.uk, eddiewright.co.uk
THERE’S nothing like a shake-up in the market place to get dealers both talking and scratching their heads. The launch of Tesco Cars in 2011 was probably the biggest news to come out of the motor trade.
There was speculation as to whether it was going to happen, with many dealers and industry experts saying it could only spell doom for their beloved trade sector. But – as we very well know as Car Dealer broke the news – it did happen, and people have been talking about it ever since.
The supermarket giant is the trading name of Carsite, and in its first month of trading the website scored nearly 500,000 hits from interested punters.
Buyers search the car they want – or, if they need help, the site has a ‘personal shopper’ search which gives advice – and then the car of their dreams is given a 167-point check by the RAC and undergoes an HPI check, and the RAC even gives the car a video test drive for the buyer too.
To match its supermarket background, Tesco Clubcard holders receive 2,000 points when they buy a car.
Even the website looks like the site you’d buy your groceries from.
However, just because it’s got the famous name and helpful slogan, it doesn’t mean the website is a winner. But a winner, it is.
Tescocars.com won head and shoulders over its competition this year, prompting Ewards judge Roland Schaack to say: ‘The Tesco site is fast, clean and offers the user plenty of information. I particularly liked the ability to order vehicles online. All this combined with loads of stock and one of the strongest brands in the country makes the site a real winner.’
Jamie Dixon of GForces felt the same, adding: ‘Tesco has entered the online arena not using their vast cash reserves to build the ultimate dealership but rather through developing a customer-focused website that utilises the trust of their brand to allow them to learn automotive retailing. This is one business to watch.’
