8:55 pm, November 7, 2011
A NEW transport service has become an instant hit with members of one online used car trading network.
Circulating more than 20,000 fresh car adverts to dealers each month, Autotrade-mail has now introduced a collection and delivery link onto its site which calculates a quote for transport at the click of a button for vehicles that have been bought or sold.
Operated through British Car Auctions (BCA), the competitively-priced service provides Autotrade-mail’s 5,000 franchised and independent subscribers with access to 300 drivers nationwide and the ability to slash the time taken to get new stock onto their forecourts.
‘Efficiency when buying and selling trade stock can make a massive difference to stock turn and the profitability of a business,’ explained Kevin Watson, Autotrade-mail’s operations director.
‘With the UK vehicle parc continuing to shrink, dealerships will have to source the cars they want from further afield and our new service enables them to close this distance.’
The increasing vehicle shortage was the main reason behind Autotrade-mail introducing the transport service12 months earlier than originally planned.
According to Watson, it is a move that has already been justified as it had generated hundreds of quotes and enabled members to buy and sell cars from regions of the country that they had not previously dealt within.
‘Feedback has been extremely positive and with a commitment to deliver within 48 hours, the service means that members could be displaying new stock up to 10 days sooner than if acquiring through traditional methods,’ added Watson.
The transport service is one of several new initiatives that Autotrade-mail has introduced in recent months to enhance the appeal of its operation. It now also allows members to show up to six images of an advertised vehicle at no extra cost, whilst its improved cherished plate facility features a new search and sort functionality and enables its members to advertise up to 10 ads per month free-of-charge.
‘Using Autotrade-mail is a thoroughly professional experience,’ said Andrew Morley, sales manager of Gilders Honda in Rotherham.
‘The transport facility is excellent and competitively-priced,’ he added. ‘I was so impressed that I set up an account there and then because I will definitely be using the service again.’
