grant8064 219 Posted February 19, 2018 1 hour ago, BHM said: Some weeks/fortnights/months can be VERY slow sales-wise and it’s definitely harder making a sale than it was a few years ago. I’m internet based also but if I have a quiet week or two I’ve always had a sudden rush which brings the money back up to average. We have a forecourt and we're not very different, two good manic weeks and then two poor quiet weeks pretty much every month of the year. There never seems to be any consistency. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RH Trading 80 Posted February 19, 2018 Been in our current location for the past 20 years and whilst we still get a lot of passing traffic more and more these days, people are turning up from outside of our area and found our website first. We have a large service bay, MOT, body shop on site and this by and large generates more used car sales than being on a main road. looking at the postcodes of the past 25 sales, There's 4 I know have definitely come from our service business, another 4 are within 20 miles the rest have never driven past our site before so would never have seen us if we weren't online, furthest away last month was Dundee! I'm seriously contemplating moving to a cheaper, bigger, out of town unit, where all my cars can be stored inside, out of the elements so I wont have to wash them every 2 days and out of the way of the dickhead who thinks its funny to throw a brick over the fence on a Saturday night. My advice is to stick at it Grant Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trade vet 702 Posted February 19, 2018 12 minutes ago, RH Trading said: Been in our current location for the past 20 years and whilst we still get a lot of passing traffic more and more these days, people are turning up from outside of our area and found our website first. We have a large service bay, MOT, body shop on site and this by and large generates more used car sales than being on a main road. looking at the postcodes of the past 25 sales, There's 4 I know have definitely come from our service business, another 4 are within 20 miles the rest have never driven past our site before so would never have seen us if we weren't online, furthest away last month was Dundee! I'm seriously contemplating moving to a cheaper, bigger, out of town unit, where all my cars can be stored inside, out of the elements so I wont have to wash them every 2 days and out of the way of the dickhead who thinks its funny to throw a brick over the fence on a Saturday night. My advice is to stick at it Grant I would not move very far from where you are now.You could lose a lot of your regulars.We were renting for years,must have paid out £1m in rent.It took us several years to find freehold premises close bye,but we nearly missed them,a sale was going through.We paid 30% more to gazzump the buyer and it was worth it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RH Trading 80 Posted February 19, 2018 16 minutes ago, trade vet said: I would not move very far from where you are now.You could lose a lot of your regulars.We were renting for years,must have paid out £1m in rent.It took us several years to find freehold premises close bye,but we nearly missed them,a sale was going through.We paid 30% more to gazzump the buyer and it was worth it. you're right, would only consider moving 1-2 miles away. had my eye on some units that have been available for a couple of years now. thinking of moving one bit at a time - bodyshop/MOT etc. first, then after 12 months extend into the unit next door that could comfortably hold 50 cars indoors. where we are I'm maxed out with 35 if I squeeze them all on but doesn't look appealing and no room to expand as I'm surrounded on 3 sides. Its a question do I stay as I am, which is OK, nice turnover, decent sales or take the next step. Quite nervous about doing so but "He who dares" and all that Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
david gott 58 Posted February 19, 2018 I’ve been on a pitch for 3 years and consider myself just internet based, the pitch holds 20 cars, in the early days I’d sit here all day scared I’d miss a sale, then I thought I’d get a valeter so when I wasn’t there he could look after the customers (what a waste of money that was) he left over a year ago, It took me 2 years to realise I can easily manage 20 cars on my own and when I’ve looked at what sales I do from walk ons it averages about 1 a month (we’re in a smallish village, not near loads of main dealers and car pitches) so what is the point being sat in an office all day stressing yourself out! but I would love to own a pitch or unit and not have to rent, always feels better when you know it’s yours. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trade vet 702 Posted February 19, 2018 3 hours ago, RH Trading said: you're right, would only consider moving 1-2 miles away. had my eye on some units that have been available for a couple of years now. thinking of moving one bit at a time - bodyshop/MOT etc. first, then after 12 months extend into the unit next door that could comfortably hold 50 cars indoors. where we are I'm maxed out with 35 if I squeeze them all on but doesn't look appealing and no room to expand as I'm surrounded on 3 sides. Its a question do I stay as I am, which is OK, nice turnover, decent sales or take the next step. Quite nervous about doing so but "He who dares" and all that It is worth checking if these premises could qualify for a Business Premises Renovation Allowance ( 100% tax relief ) or some other allowance should it be located in a ‘Disadvantaged Area’ which is defined by post codes. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mojo121 229 Posted February 19, 2018 On 18/02/2018 at 2:52 PM, Grantlfc81 said: Some of our stock. we have sold 3 cars today would you beleive it Feb always is a funny month https://www.autotrader.co.uk/services/car-dealers/uk/east-of-england/essex/billericay/village-cars-billericay-billericay-dpp-10012523 Nice photos but the adverts seem a little sparse in terms of description, yours is not my market though, so this might be the norm. The only other thing I'd focus on if I were you would be to get a ton of reviews of your Autotrader page... surely being internet only reviews are a must? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BHM 994 Posted February 19, 2018 1 hour ago, Mojo121 said: ... surely being internet only reviews are a must? Reviews aren’t worth a w**k in my opinion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mojo121 229 Posted February 19, 2018 31 minutes ago, BHM said: Reviews aren’t worth a w**k in my opinion. I've seen you say this before. For me they're worth something, not the be all and end all, but when you're scratching your head trying to make the phone ring a few good reviews can't hurt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MattR 177 Posted February 21, 2018 I think reviews are worthwhile, good or bad. Ive had customers comment on seeing them and it influencing their decision. It just helps to get them to come in or ring in the first place. If a customer is faced with 2 similar cars and one dealer has good reviews and the other doesnt have any reviews, it will make a difference to them. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anglo9 26 Posted February 21, 2018 8 hours ago, Matt Reid said: I think reviews are worthwhile, good or bad. Ive had customers comment on seeing them and it influencing their decision. It just helps to get them to come in or ring in the first place. If a customer is faced with 2 similar cars and one dealer has good reviews and the other doesnt have any reviews, it will make a difference to them. Yep I'm internet based and a fair few customers say they pitched up off the back of good AT and Facebook reviews , just wish more of the lazy sods would follow through on their promises to leave one too... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RH Trading 80 Posted February 27, 2018 On 19/02/2018 at 7:45 PM, BHM said: Reviews aren’t worth a w**k in my opinion. Love reviews, customers always comment about mine, might not have sold me any more cars but it certainly helps differentiate me from Fred in the shed down the road who purely sells on price and doesn't give a toss about aftersales or service. Had a gentleman at the weekend travel down from Stirling for a Focus at the weekend who said he read all my reviews before he set off and knew he could trust me. Still each to their own I imagine but don't understand why you wouldn't use them. People can leave reviews about you anywhere nowadays so better to look after your customer and send them a review request than sit and wait for the eventual bad review, would you book a holiday without checking out the hotel on tripadvisor? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
andymc1973 199 Posted February 27, 2018 reviews sell cars, simple as that Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan W 57 Posted February 27, 2018 22 minutes ago, andymc1973 said: reviews sell cars, simple as that don't forget balloons also 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arfur Dealy 823 Posted February 27, 2018 1 hour ago, andymc1973 said: reviews sell cars, simple as that Agreed, I personally always look at reviews and do my research prior to making a purchase. My buyers often comment on my reviews, it gives them confidence and as a digital retailer to purchase from me........ 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
