LEADING automotive ecommerce platform provider GForces is celebrating signing up the 200th retailer to NetDirector Auto-e.
The milestone equates to 1,100 locations, meaning nearly 20 per cent of the UK’s top 200 dealers are now using the dedicated online vehicle sales platform to take their first steps towards a fully transactional model.
Although only on general release from the first quarter of this year, the uptake has been significant. NetDirector Auto-e is designed to support retailers at whatever point they are on the ecommerce journey, but also be capable of handling the end-to-end car-buying process when the retailer feels ready to take that final step.
Retailers that have already enabled fully transactional ecommerce include the RRG Group, Chorley Group, Croyland Car Megastore and Vantage Motor Group.
Through these pioneering dealer groups, brands including Honda, Kia, Lexus, Mazda, Peugeot, Skoda and Toyota are being bought online by connected consumers. In many cases, buyers are new customers to the retailer, often from traditionally ‘showroom-shy’ demographics such as women and older buyers. Many are also not local, with orders made by customers hundreds of miles from the retailer.
Tim Smith, chief commercial officer at GForces, said: ‘For some retailers, we recognise that full ecommerce is still a leap they are hesitating to take. Full ecommerce might not be right for their business at the current time, but we can help them become more forward-facing by providing a platform that has their ecommerce infrastructure ready to go.
‘From there, retailers can choose whether to then adopt online deposits, full cash payment, or end-to-end ecommerce with finance application and instant decision.
‘With over 200 retailers using NetDirector Auto-e, our platform is helping change the uncertainty around selling vehicles online, and our clients are seeing significant business as a result. We’ve already seen one retailer sell in excess of 100 used vehicles through the platform.’
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