November Trade

[Nick M.K. 574]

22 hours ago, Tony F said:

A deposit for us means the deal is counted in that same month. We never carry over deals, and like to start each month with zero sales on the board.

Even if I take a deposit today 30 Nov and deliver on 1 Dec (the last and first day for my VAT quarter)? I'd much rather defer that VAT payment if I am allowed and my sales invoice date will of course be 1 DEC, the date of delivery and also a date that will allow me to pay that VAT in 3 months time. 

[Contracts 68]

Had a bit of a result on some cheap 16/65 Focus that we brought in, 4 identical Zetec 1.5 TDCi, all sub 50k, put one up cheap (£7495) yesterday morning, hour later, Irish chap on the phone, I will take the Focus, you got anything similar?....  4 invoices sent, £4k transfered already with balance transfer when they collect.

[twerp 69]

32 minutes ago, Contracts said:

Had a bit of a result on some cheap 16/65 Focus that we brought in, 4 identical Zetec 1.5 TDCi, all sub 50k, put one up cheap (£7495) yesterday morning, hour later, Irish chap on the phone, I will take the Focus, you got anything similar?....  4 invoices sent, £4k transfered already with balance transfer when they collect.

Is he a trader paying retail ?

You used to see the Irish walking around Derby BCA with their luggage on wheels around the auction hall.

[Contracts 68]

Yes, trader with sites in NI and IRE, cars were cheapest retail in the country at that money and still had good profit in them.

[Tony F 38]

And getting back on topic for Novemebr trade. We have just had our worse 2 months ever, oct & nov, and thats in 27 years of trading and including any decembers.

Seen lots of rough patches over the years, and always manage to duck & dive, weave, find new solutions etc and come up good each year. But to say the past 2 months has me stumped is an understatement!!! Headscratching times. Glass ceilings and brick walls.

[Mark101 536]

Where does the term purple patch come from - I see it written here a lot and know what you’re inferring but why purple?

[AAM90 22]

2 minutes ago, Tony F said:

And getting back on topic for November trade

November started well for us but tailed off to NOTHING. Blank week this week

Doesn't bode well for December when we usually get a few away

Just done the VAT return that was depressing

On the upside more time on our hands to buy and prep for January

[MOTORS 25]

4 minutes ago, Tony F said:

And getting back on topic for Novemebr trade. We have just had our worse 2 months ever, oct & nov, and thats in 27 years of trading and including any decembers.

Seen lots of rough patches over the years, and always manage to duck & dive, weave, find new solutions etc and come up good each year. But to say the past 2 months has me stumped is an understatement!!! Headscratching times. Glass ceilings and brick walls.

Us too. Worst October & November ever. 

[SC Derby 259]

Mad. We've done more this November than we did in November & December combined last year. No rhyme or reason to it all I don't think.

[Mark101 536]

I’ve had a tidy month, despite a slow start with two dippers ready to be logged for December (one just collected from home, drove back in it last night).

[James01 21]

Same here October was dreadful, November started well but tailed off for a very average month. 

I don't think it's a coincidence people not spending money with all this Brexit scare mongering going on in the news. 

 

 

[twerp 69]

1 hour ago, Contracts said:

Yes, trader with sites in NI and IRE, cars were cheapest retail in the country at that money and still had good profit in them.

I remember when the smaller lease companies used to email me stock lists. Doesn't happen anymore 

[Dealer 54]

1 hour ago, Tony F said:

And getting back on topic for Novemebr trade. We have just had our worse 2 months ever, oct & nov, and thats in 27 years of trading and including any decembers.

Seen lots of rough patches over the years, and always manage to duck & dive, weave, find new solutions etc and come up good each year. But to say the past 2 months has me stumped is an understatement!!! Headscratching times. Glass ceilings and brick walls.

Same here, October dire, start of November was ok but last 2 weeks may as well have gone on holidays (if i could have afforded to that is). Blame black Friday, cyber Monday and all the other retailer bullshit hype that's all over the media etc

[grant8064 219]

1 hour ago, tradex said:

I've only ever heard this in the US and in relation to armed forces.

To get one's 'purple patch' meant you had been injured in conflict and, thus your ticket home, The Purple Heart, from WW1 onwards....not forgetting the US didn't enter the conflict until that year.

You'd won your 'Patch' and that came from the Purple ribbon that was sewn on a jacket when medals weren't on display.

Edit:- That year being 1917.

You're going to piss off a few Norfolk locals when you join in the pub quiz!

[Nick M.K. 574]

3 hours ago, James01 said:

I don't think it's a coincidence people not spending money with all this Brexit scare mongering going on in the news. 

My best November ever. All expensive cars. Mostly diesels (and I am just outside of London). Some people do spend.  

[Mark101 536]

At my end of the market, I don’t think Brexshit, Black Friday, Cyber Monday et al make any difference - there is always, always something going on to affect sales but people don’t necessarily aspire to own my stock, they just need a car for whatever reason.

My second best month this year.

 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

The third worst month of the year, started really well then absolutely nothing for 15 days (my longest draught period), then sold a couple just before month end........ It's a rollercoaster. Its always the same, when someone's having it off others are cutting their wrists......

[andymc1973 199]

stuck 2 sheds on an ebay auction,both brutal adverts, both won by foreign sounding names, no further contact, utter waste of time

[BHM 994]

20 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

The third worst month of the year, started really well then absolutely nothing for 15 days (my longest draught period), then sold a couple just before month end........ It's a rollercoaster. Its always the same, when someone's having it off others are cutting their wrists......

....and I’m just reaching for the razor blades. 

3 hours ago, andymc1973 said:

stuck 2 sheds on an ebay auction,both brutal adverts, both won by foreign sounding names, no further contact, utter waste of time

You surprise me, most of these characters are genuine men. I’m sure they’ve just mislaid their phones 

Honestly, just Spares/Repair+Trailered Away them.

[andymc1973 199]

I coudn't be any blunter

[JimmyGlen 13]

Finished on 12 (stock of 16) and scraped our way to where (or perhaps just short) of where we need to be profit wise. Its tough. 

I'm using everything in our armoury currently, to keep the numbers up. I wouldn't like to think how bad it would be if we relied solely on Auto Trader, but equally, I wouldn't like to see the numbers without AT either. Every base has to be covered right now to spread the stock out as wide and as far as possible. 

The amount of finance declines we've had this month (and last) is simply astounding. Our acceptance rate with MotoNovo over the past 5 years is 78%, recently thats plummeted to must be 30% Maybe less!! We should have sold way more cars, but the quality of customer is simply shocking right now. 

Our average time in stock is usually 28days, but have an alarming number of cars that are creeping their way up and over 70days in stock. One has reached 100days (Jaguar XK with 26k miles), a first for us in over 10years.   

Got one on the board on the first which always sets you up psychologically! Our Dec are usually okay. Fingers crossed that continues! 

Stevie

[Arfur Dealy 823]

Those foreign non-payer bidders are why I stopped ebay auctions, these complete and utter scumbags bidding in the last minute with absolutely no intent on buying. You could have a 10 day auction finishing 8pm on a Sunday and then "scoobynaznazhussein69" bids in the last second and fecks it all up. It still really makes me ANGRY...

[grant8064 219]

We do OK with spares/repairs on eBay. Sometimes takes a couple of goes but lately they've all been paid for, collected, ID presented, recovery truck etc. Taken a while to get the eBay template right.

Had a strange amount going to the Caribbean lately. 

[Mark101 536]

19 hours ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Those foreign non-payer bidders are why I stopped ebay auctions, these complete and utter scumbags bidding in the last minute with absolutely no intent on buying. You could have a 10 day auction finishing 8pm on a Sunday and then "scoobynaznazhussein69" bids in the last second and fecks it all up. It still really makes me ANGRY...

Had exactly that on my wrecker - 10 day auction, brutally honest advert and with 2 seconds to go, bid of £5,100 knocks out a £4,800 and a £5,000 bid.

Followed by sorry mate my brother bid on it but it is not big enough.

Edited December 3, 2018 by Mark101

[andymc1973 199]

ebay dont exactly punish them