AutoTrader v GumTree v Facebook

[NOACROSS 414]

10 minutes ago, Nick M.K. said:

So it's a personal decision not a business one?

How can the option of multiple websites that DON'T deliver be cheaper? They still cost money. eBay + Gumtree (paid basic) + Motors will be around £650 per month for 20 vehicles and you'll get a quarter or a fifth of the enquiries... 

Is it not better to pay the "Autoraper", "beast", "robbers" or whatever else they are called their £1300 pcm, sell more cars, get more and higher quality leads and save the time and energy required to manage multiple ad platforms... You should be able to pay half of your AT package cost just from the part exes that you advertise free under £1500. 

Also, if you have a stock of 40 but don't fancy paying for all stock you can have an "auto rotation" where 20 vehicles are advertised at any one time and the ads are rotated by software. Car Dealer 5 and Click Dealer provide something similar. 

I was with them for donkey's years Nick - since day one on Autotrader Digital in fact (20 years ago maybe even and before with the magazine) when the reps. begged us to come on board (a pound a car from memory)

Even at 20 cars it's a load of dough and, when we dropped them a couple of years ago I was nervous, but the world didn't end- and for me at least, the decision was the correct one.  As I say - it's the quiet times that hurt and you can just end up working for them.

Again - if I was you with your stock profile and 10/12 cars I'd probably do the same. Kudos to you for having a manageable number of cars to find, and the balls to stock what you do.  You try buying for a 40-60 odd site and it's a different game. I think you're to be commended for buying what seems to be in demand (on AT) and I don't stock any of what you do. 

I don't agree that AT is the golden goose personally (just my opinion and some will agree and some won't) and people do not just go to AT to look for a car nowadays. I also hate the sponsored ads, cluttered website, price indicators/race to the bottom etc as has been said before.

I'm honestly glad it's working for you guys but I wonder at what stage that yet another price increase makes you all say 'whoaa...enough is enough' -and this forum is intended to give everybody all sides of the story and this is mine. :0)

For me the other sites DO deliver on the whole and I can cope when it's quiet.  

[Nick M.K. 574]

7 minutes ago, NOACROSS said:

I wonder at what stage that yet another price increase makes you all say 'whoaa...enough is enough'

If Autotrader keeps delivering I will pay them what they ask. They work FOR ME, not the other way around. It's like a very good employee. If they deliver it means I am doing well also. I could cancel my package tomorrow. My loss in year one will probably be greater than my package cost for the next 10 years. 

I have said this before: It doesn't work for everyone simply because not everyone puts the same amount of work into it. Because I sell all sorts of stock including my £100 part exchanges I have seen it work consistently for all types of stock since I started using it in 2010 or 2011. 

And I keep seeing ABSOLUTE RUBBISH ads on it and I think: why do they not make any effort if they pay £100 per ad slot???

[Mojo121 229]

1 hour ago, NOACROSS said:

I was with them for donkey's years Nick - since day one on Autotrader Digital in fact (20 years ago maybe even and before with the magazine) when the reps. begged us to come on board (a pound a car from memory)

Even at 20 cars it's a load of dough and, when we dropped them a couple of years ago I was nervous, but the world didn't end- and for me at least, the decision was the correct one.  As I say - it's the quiet times that hurt and you can just end up working for them.

Again - if I was you with your stock profile and 10/12 cars I'd probably do the same. Kudos to you for having a manageable number of cars to find, and the balls to stock what you do.  You try buying for a 40-60 odd site and it's a different game. I think you're to be commended for buying what seems to be in demand (on AT) and I don't stock any of what you do. 

I don't agree that AT is the golden goose personally (just my opinion and some will agree and some won't) and people do not just go to AT to look for a car nowadays. I also hate the sponsored ads, cluttered website, price indicators/race to the bottom etc as has been said before.

I'm honestly glad it's working for you guys but I wonder at what stage that yet another price increase makes you all say 'whoaa...enough is enough' -and this forum is intended to give everybody all sides of the story and this is mine. :0)

For me the other sites DO deliver on the whole and I can cope when it's quiet.  

Hi NOACROSS, i am of a similar mindset to you, I like the comfort I have without an AT package. However, I do wonder if I'm missing out on sales now I'm buying more. What is your stock profile? Just curious to hear why eBay etc might be working for you aswell.

[NOACROSS 414]

Hi Mojo - average of 40 in stock but scope/space for about 60.  £3-10 k mostly with average being 4-6 I suppose.  The odd heavier thing but I struggle with enthusiasm for them and the book drop worries me.

It's probably easier to say what I try not to stock:

So I avoid where possible: Anything German, particularly diesel, auto German cars.

Diesels

Saloon cars or family hatchbacks like Golf's

High mileage stuff.

Small manual cars

Boy racer or sporty stuff (I will buy the odd SLK, MX5 etc).

I particularly like small autos, (as we're in old-people city here) large speccy stuff, estate cars (most Volvo's- V70, XC90, C70, V50 etc), Honda CRV, XF Jag, the odd modern classic, a Prius or two....

If I had the nerve to stock newer German stuff like Rory for example or Nick where they buy stuff still under manufacturer's warranty, I think I'd had a different attitude but I must admit to being out of my depth knowing what to buy and what not to in that world. 

I'm happy to also retail the PX's - even if they're diesel/German or up on the miles, but I try to get them in at the right price obviously.

 

Edited October 4, 2018 by NOACROSS

[Nick M.K. 574]

44 minutes ago, NOACROSS said:

I must admit to being out of my depth knowing what to buy and what not to in that world. 

It's really easy:

M Sport, AMG Sport, AMG Line or simply AMG, S-Line, Black Edition, Night Edition, Black Package

in white, black or fifty shades of grey. With leather. 

Preferably Automatic and easier to sell at highish miles if newer. You have to offer finance though as the people that want them don't like to save.

I like Honda CR-Vs like you do. Really good sellers even (and especially) with 100K+ miles. 

[Tom 164]

I'm trying AT as ebay has died a death, getting plenty of views but no phone calls. Motors is crap and gumtree etc is  a waste of space. Im on a rolling monthly contract and can come off at any time. I read more good things about being on AT than I do bad. Now my stock is newer low mileage the likes of ebay just doesnt fit. 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

3 hours ago, Nick M.K. said:

If Autotrader keeps delivering I will pay them what they ask. They work FOR ME, not the other way around. It's like a very good employee. If they deliver it means I am doing well also. I could cancel my package tomorrow. My loss in year one will probably be greater than my package cost for the next 10 years. 

I have said this before: It doesn't work for everyone simply because not everyone puts the same amount of work into it. Because I sell all sorts of stock including my £100 part exchanges I have seen it work consistently for all types of stock since I started using it in 2010 or 2011. 

And I keep seeing ABSOLUTE RUBBISH ads on it and I think: why do they not make any effort if they pay £100 per ad slot???

I agree, your adverts have to stand out, you have to above and beyond to sell quickly and efficiently. My USP is complete video clarity, transparency and honesty...and it sells. The amount of my billies who say to me they would never be confident to usually buy my way, but I gave ethem to confidence to do that  It makes me smile everytime I get told it because its proves I'm doing my job right.....

 

[EPV 631]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

I'm trying AT as ebay has died a death, getting plenty of views but no phone calls. Motors is crap and gumtree etc is  a waste of space. Im on a rolling monthly contract and can come off at any time. I read more good things about being on AT than I do bad. Now my stock is newer low mileage the likes of ebay just doesnt fit. 

Nice stock, either low mileage or low owners, clean, straight, it just doesn't go well on a platform where the majority of the visitors are price led. "This one is £500 more expensive than the one I saw on Facebook" and you just know the one they saw has had 7 owners, 3 in the past year, 20k more miles and a dent in every panel.

[Rory RSC 596]

AT is and was my biggest bill. Hands down. I slagged Autotrader off for a bit, was almost at a point of giving it a go without them felt they were robbers etc then I had a bit of a moment of realisation. I was always doing well, it was always working, it always brought the most leads in but I was just seeing this whopping big £3k / £4k a month bill. 

I thought well if I am paying them all this money lets get the absolute maximum out of the package and try to make it work for me. So I write a clear and coherent advert as best as I can for the cars. I explain the services we offer in the adverts. I offer a video when ready for all cars. I take multiple pictures.
I track every lead as carefully as I can I am very keen to find out where buyers have actually seen our cars and try to work out if they are using multi platforms.

Autotrader is no longer viewed a my biggest bill, its actually brings in the lowest cost leads for us. It is the modern day shop window for desirable stock.

 

 

[EPV 631]

6 minutes ago, Borat said:

AT

Gumtree

FB

AT is upper class and upper middle class (generally get hassle free genuine customers)

Gumtree is lower middle class and lower class / chavs (last cash offer / best price)

FB is chavs - dreamers freebie hunters that dont have a donkeys clue (those with a £300 budget) 

I wouldn’t disagree with your ranking but fuck knows what classes have to do with anything. Where do the working class buy their cars as you seem to have omitted them. 

[Nick M.K. 574]

12 hours ago, EPV said:

Where do the working class buy their cars as you seem to have omitted them. 

eBay. 

BUT ALSO - EVERYWHERE.