Chris Roach

Good evening. I have been an AA cars customer for 7 years and having an AA website for 6 of them I am hoping I can help. If you are exporting your cars from AA to Autotrader just make sure that you complete the attention grabbers and send the text as one bulk block and it will make no difference to any auto trader traffic or sales. You can now do video through AA cars too. We have done well through AA cars over the years and have found it to be our best return on investment in terms of cost per converted lead. The fact that you can give away breakdown cover with every car you sell regardless of whether they have seen it on AA cars or not makes it a no brainer for us! Their SEO seems to be on the up too! Do a few searches for cars on google and you will see they do have good presence on there. Our slightly older customers recognise and appreciate the brand well. Please give me call on 01276 451050 if you need a hand getting used to their website system as I know it well. They can export to other places too ie ebay motors gumtree car gurus. Take some money out of your Auto Trader budget and spread it about a bit it works for us. Good luck Chris

Umesh I feel that they have intentionally priced this so that 99% of people won't take it up. It's all part of their plan to squeeze us independents until we pop, in turn it keeps the big boys happy. It's supermarkets vs corner shops all over again. I am afraid we keep going around the houses and there is only one thing we can do, a mass walk out with media present outside head office all handing notice, this will crash the stock price and only then will they listen. I have said this for years and am building the army to do this. We just need more soldiers I believe the minimum we need is 500 dealerships. Chris

Good afternoon All I thought I would share with you all an e mail sent to Autotrader regarding sponsored adverts and pricing. I am assured that it has been forwarded to head office and am awaiting a response. Dear Auto Trader I have been giving this some thought and as you have asked for my feedback, I would appreciate the following to be forwarded to the “Ivory Tower. “ Having given deep thought into the recent behaviour of Auto Trader I feel it is best not to mention the price increase and new "packages" as they are effectively old news. However, something new has just hit me - Sponsored Adverts, We have been told for years that more searches are going to mobile circa 70% and have paid more money for priority listings to ensure we are at the top of the search. After being told this, and it being backed up with facts, we, as independent dealerships, have accepted Auto Trader’s word. But now Auto Trader have changed their mind and decided that everybody searches on a desktop device. So I now ask myself why would they do such a thing and is there a method to their madness? So here is the conclusion: The larger supermarkets and franchise groups all have desktops and use them frequently... So how do Auto Trader make money out of this? They create "sponsored adverts" for desktops, only enticing the larger groups and supermarkets to give them lots of money for the privilege, but what they don't seem to understand is that by doing this their core business (all the small fish that make up most of the pond) have all suffered as a result. So what is the solution and how do we, as independents get to the top of the search like the big boys? Umm, let me think...... I have it……. MORE MONEY. So if I give you another £1,631 per month for a 40 car package, up from £2,792 per month to £4,423, you will do it for me. You have really shocked me this time Auto Trader. You are forcing the independents to seek alternatives. Your greed will be your undoing I can assure you. Please explain to me how you justify the price of this? I thought it would be the usual £100 here or there, but I was wrong. You want thousands! Please explain - I am confused. You told me that people don't really look on desktops anymore. In fact, you told me that last month! Do you think that by forcing smaller independent dealerships to the bottom of the search you can force them into alternatives such as downsizing their packages or leaving Auto Trader altogether? This is not going to help you now, or in the long run. Sorry Auto Trader, this one is going to cost you a lot of money and my friendly advice is that you put this one into reverse as quickly as you can. Many thanks for the quote, but we won't be taking you up on this one. The mission to leave you is going well, but as with all divorces it will take time. I look forward to Auto Traders response. Regards Chris Roach Owner of Chequers Cars Lightwater & Auto Trade Associates where reputable independent dealerships come together as one.

We have a database of 2300 independent dealerships and will happily post an "exodus" e mail out to all of them This has gone to far and must stop now I am on 07748 903961 please call me autotradeassociates.co.uk why cant we have our own website for reputable dealers only? have a look and see what we have achieved already.

Agreed Prestige Diesels We need our own website built by dealerships for dealerships "Strength in Unity" if all reputable dealerships come together and work as a collective we can make a difference and be in charge of our own future. Why have we let it go this far? Auto Trader need exposing to the public for what they really are. Once the public understand that Auto Trader's greed actually makes cars more expensive, along with their miss leading approach, things will change very quickly. Please can the instigator of Auto Trader Dealers United call me on 07748 903961 I am really looking forward to a chat, we are exceptionally like minded and can help each other. Chris Auto Trade Associates