Critique my adverts / website/ photos / videos

[MarkTVS 209]

Hi all, 

Fairly new to the forum though I have been browsing for a while, my name is Mark and I run a small independent dealers in the southside of Glasgow, I like to sell older prestige and performance cars but also sell run of the mill small hatchback such corsa's and clios etc to keep the bills paid. We stock generally 20-30 cars. I am fairly new to this trade and although I came from a motor trade background it was mechanical as opposed to sales.

Here is a link to one of our stock Astra VXR Nürburgring's:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201902154963684?advert-type=dealer-stock&advertising-location=at_cars&advertising-location=at_profile_cars&fromDealerSearchResults=%2Fdealers%2Fglasgow-city%2Fglasgow%2Ftotal-vehicle-solutions-628741%2Fstock%3Fadvertising-location%3Dat_cars%26advertising-location%3Dat_profile_cars%26dealer%3D628741%26onesearchad%3DUsed%26onesearchad%3DNearly%2520New%26page%3D2%26sort%3Dprice-asc&dpp=628741

 

Here is a link to all our Autotrader adverts:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/dealers/glasgow-city/glasgow/total-vehicle-solutions-628741/stock?onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&dealer=628741&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=price-asc&page=1&advertising-location=at_profile_cars

 

And here is our website

www.tvs-glasgow.co.uk

 

I would appreciate comments, advice, suggestions good or bad and help on how to improve anything.

 

thanks
Mark

[Nick M.K. 574]

Interesting to go from mechanical into sales, unusual but I guess this gives you a bit of an edge. Maybe mention this into your video. 

1) Astra Video: Location too busy for my liking, too much background noise from the road making your voice difficult to hear. I am a fan of scottish accents but maybe talk a little bit slower. 

2) Astra AT Advert: Not enough text. Only a few words. Include a bit more, stuff about the rarity of that model etc etc, keep them engaged, keep them on the advert. Once they click off you've lost them. 

Photos: Location and background too busy, lines, reflections, fencing takes the eye away from the car. Find a location with a more rural, neutral background, stand a couple of metres further away from the car, then zoom in for correct proportions. Clean interior and door cards a bit better, make sure steering wheel is straight and get rid of air freshners etc from inside the car. 

Good luck!

[Mark101 536]

Hi Mark 

Welcome to the forum, it is a great place to be - invaluable for mutual advice, friendship and (moral) support - it will probably be one of the first tabs on your browser if you're anything like me.

I agree with Nick above - you need to find somewhere less busy for your pictures as in the top one at least, there are pylons, car park, trees, fences, gates.  I am a unit trader as well and get a bit of (invited critique) stick as my pictures are all taken indoors.  That is because I want a uniform display of stock on the website and I can take my pics regardless of the weather plus the cars remain clean after the valet/prep.

I think you are a very brave man with all the Vauxhall stock, something I made a concious decision to never sell again, Range Rover is another bold choice - good sellers but you will be counting warranty days off the calendar.  Some of your other pieces should do well and with your mechanical backround, I think you have an edge over many - including me.

Good luck.

[trade vet 702]

Hi Mark

Looks like you have a proper garage,mot station etc.This is an alternative suggestion,I hope you don’t mind,people I know with testing stations are constantly booked out and making money.I see you have 2 units side by side,with your MOT/ servicing expertise have you considered expanding the testing station and putting less effort and investment into car sales.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

42 minutes ago, trade vet said:

Hi Mark

Looks like you have a proper garage,mot station etc.This is an alternative suggestion,I hope you don’t mind,people I know with testing stations are constantly booked out and making money.I see you have 2 units side by side,with your MOT/ servicing expertise have you considered expanding the testing station and putting less effort and investment into car sales.

Very wise words....

Mark, selling cars isn't easy money... Charging fair hourly rates and operating an honest open transparent MOT / repair station would be gold dust.....  If I had one I would be making serious money...

[It's me 615]

Just wow

an 11 year old astra is worth 7 point 5 plus

boring dave just looked at the c1

not impressed

 

[MarkTVS 209]

Thanks for the advice and feedback, the location is a bit of a sticking point, currently our turn over of cars is circa 20/25 a month, however as we are in a densely populated area there isn't many options for good photo locations as I have to factor in Scottish weather which means about 60% of the time it is damp or wet therefore going further afield the cars would be dirty by the time I got there.

The MOT station in the background is not mine, it is just a neighbouring business. A bit more of my background I am fairly young to the trade, I am 27 years old, I started out as a mechanic and selling cars was just a hobby that grew beyond proportion to the point it came a full time business, so I have not worked on cars personally much in the past 2/3 years however I feel it does give me a slight advantage when it comes to recognising faults etc. However I am in the process of purchasing the repair workshop where I served my time as an apprentice as with the amount of money we spend monthly in mechanical prep per month it makes sense to have our own workshop. So as of May I will be leaving to run the workshop day to day whilst still managing the car sales to an extent, I will still be purchasing the cars but I wont be dealing with the purchasing customers face to face as that is the bit I least enjoy. 

We all have cars we like and dislike, Vauxhalls for some are head aches but when the common issues are second nature it doesn't present too many problems with regard to comebacks.

 

Thanks all

 

Mark

[Mark101 536]

2 minutes ago, MarkTVS said:

going further afield the cars would be dirty by the time I got there.

That is my rationale for taking pictures indoors and I am in a much warmer/drier area, so I sympathise with you.  Can you not clear one area purely for this purpose?

Re: Vauxhall, I know they are often a cheap fix but it is as much the type of punters as the brand itself why I steer clear.

Good luck, it sounds like you have a good business and a sure footing for future growth.

 

[trade vet 702]

Mark is doing over 20 per month from a stock of of 20 - 30.He sounds like a star to me,just keep doing what you are doing !