9:12 am, February 17, 2011
HUNDREDS of dealers have formed a union to battle price rises from classified site Auto Trader they brand as ‘unfair’.The Motor Traders Advertising Union is the brainchild of one Bath dealer who wants to remain anonymous at this stage. He is fed up with the cost of his advertising increasing and has decided to do something about it.
His campaign website received 4,000 hits in the first two hours it was live and he’s since received emails from 600 dealers backing his cause.
‘When I complained about the advertising price rises to my rep he boldly said back “you won’t survive without us” and walked off,’ explained the Bath dealer.
‘Dealers are paying different prices for their adverts all over the country – some pay £4 per car per week others pay £20. It’s not fair.
‘We want a fair deal for all. Dealers are being squeezed by these price increases and they’ve had enough.’
He said many of the dealers that have been in touch have said they plan to group together and pull their advertising from Auto Trader at the same time.
‘The problem is dealers are frightened to jump from Auto Trader as they think they won’t get any more business,’ he added. ‘But I don’t think that’s the case.’
The Motor Traders Advertising Union website says it aims to ‘agree a deal with major advertising companies as a collective’.
The campaign spokesman said he had been contacted by dealers both large and small – all of whom were willing to join his campaign.
When we spoke to Auto Trader it declined to comment.
