More advice please

[Axiom 2]

I thought it better not to hijack tradegirl's post with this, but would welcome anything constructive with the style of my current ads. The first few cars I've had have sold very quickly, but this and another Citroen have had zero interest in the 9 days they've been live. I caved early with this one and dropped the price £300 to what it is now, (it was still Great Price at £3495) but still nothing. It isn't ideal in that I can only stock 2-3 cars at a time, and so there isn't the volume of having 15-20 cars to pull people in that way to keep things ticking over, but obviously minimal overheads.

Have I said too much, so that they're lost in the waffle, or is this level of detail ok? I've seen some ads with barely a single sentence!

Anyway, be gentle... https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201905067677020 

[Mark101 536]

I would lose the angled pictures, not sure why you've done that and lose the band D tax (one because I have no idea what that means, so a punter won't)

I think it just the fact it is a diesel and not a particularly desirable car, pictures look ok to me.

In my opinion (others vary), I don't think whether you write a list of bullet points (as I now do) or war and peace has any bearing but I am certain people are more likely to bother to read my highlights vs. a novel (again, just my opinion).

Only 59,000 miles

Full Service History + fresh service for new owner

2 Former Keeprs

12 Months MOT + Full PDI

Bluetooth Handfree

Climate Control

Blah 

Blah

Blah

2 New Tyres

4 New Overmats

PX Welcome

Please call etc

That's my way but I'm not always right (I know two people for sure whom will disagree strongly )

 

[BHM 994]

Wrong car/too expensive. I wouldn’t want it advertised at £2495, never mind that price. Tbh I’d rather have 100/120K miles on it & £1695 it.

I can assure you the average Citroen man doesn’t want to pay £3200ish for a 10yr old French car, and tbh neither would I.

Their day was a few years ago, Berlingoes/Partners have kicked them into the long grass.

I’m sure some will come along & disagree but that’s my two penneth worth.

PS I wouldn’t start sweating after 9 days, it’s not unusual to carry cars for 2-3 months. 

 

Edited May 18, 2019 by BHM

[MrV 66]

Personally Im not a fan of the photo location however I understand locations for doorsteppers (Inc me) can be hard to find, also no need for the angled / images, what are you taking the shots with? There's a superb photo guide autotrader issued, give it a Google well worth the read. Also the description, try following a format such as what the car is, features, spec, who you are etc it seems a bit jumbled and doesn't flow very well. Spend some time checking out the members advertisements on here, it's a gold mine of how to do it, look at their photos and description layouts. 

[Mark101 536]

7 minutes ago, BHM said:

PS I wouldn’t start sweating after 9 days, it’s not unusual to carry cars for 2-3 months. 

You sell em that quick Mark? 

I have no issue sitting on a car for up to 6 months.  Providing at least 8 sell a month, I couldn't care whether I have sold them before I have collected them or whether I have had them for ever - it's the same to me.

Again, I know many disagree but I WILL NOT give cars away unless that is on my terms and they are beyond economical repair.  There's always that one person - time to turn was only an issue to me when I only stocked a handful. I see no point in throwing out a perfectly good car to risk buying another and go through all the prep and anxiety as to whether it will be a good un just to turn the stock.

Edited May 18, 2019 by Mark101

[Mojo121 229]

Fancy photos, I like the fade/ blur whatdoucallit round the outside, especially on the internals... how is that done?

[Tony911 79]

Panicking after 9 days best advise for newbies always have some back up funds. There will be stock that you can have for months and start costing more money sitting around. 

[Mark101 536]

14 minutes ago, Mojo121 said:

Fancy photos, I like the fade/ blur whatdoucallit round the outside, especially on the internals... how is that done?

I guess an iPhone using portrait mode - it does hi-res on the subject and the rest blurs out.

[BHM 994]

4 minutes ago, Tony911 said:

Panicking after 9 days best advise for newbies always have some back up funds. There will be stock that you can have for months and start costing more money sitting around. 

.....and that’s before you factor in stock you buy then find it’s knackered. That soon sorts the wheat from the chaff, once they’ve had a £1000+ blow that’s when 90% of newbies pack up.

38 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

You sell em that quick Mark? 

I have no issue sitting on a car for up to 6 months.  Providing at least 8 sell a month, I couldn't care whether I have sold them before I have collected them or whether I have had them for ever - it's the same to me.

Again, I know many disagree but I WILL NOT give cars away unless that is on my terms and they are beyond economical repair.  There's always that one person - time to turn was only an issue to me when I only stocked a handful. I see no point in throwing out a perfectly good car to risk buying another and go through all the prep and anxiety as to whether it will be a good un just to turn the stock.

When they get to 5 or 6 months I’m desperate to see the back of them & carve the arse off the price. I always seem to have a few longtermers, my fault for buying them cos they’re always something miley or shit spec. so only my own fault for trying to supply cars to the greedy.

[trade vet 703]

It’s far too salty at £3150 for a door stepper.My old pitch have just done a higher spec similar one with under 50k for £2950.We even sold an old shape 100k 59 Picasso p/x ( stood £800 ) just last night.We had it 6 weeks and had to chop it. Before someone else asks,how much does yours stand you.

[Tony911 79]

12 minutes ago, C B said:

You must be doing very very well to be panicking after having had no interest in 9 days.

 Anyway, I had a look at your advert. Clicked off it as soon as I saw your description is A MIXTURE of CAPITAL AND lower CASE LETTERS. 

True so did I.

9 days advertised and not a sniff we have a couple of cars that have been here for over 3 months and not a sniff apart from yesterday when some 18 year old turned up and was like can i take the audi a3 slinefor a test drive I've never driven a audi before. You know what happened next

[justina3 518]

and is very economical with Diesel. ...dont be lazy go find the figure, it would read far better driven well this can achieve 62mpg (for example) 

And god that car is fugly I know you should never buy cars on what you like but holly molly i be shocked if anyone likes that.

[MarkTVS 209]

I think the car is wrong and undesirable however the advert quality is good I would make sure though when taking photos for example from nearside rear that the front wheels are pointing to the nearside as opposed to the offside, makes the image look better IMO 

[EPV 631]

4 hours ago, Mojo121 said:

Fancy photos, I like the fade/ blur whatdoucallit round the outside, especially on the internals... how is that done?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh

 

To the OP, its nine days. NINE! Start wondering after 9 weeks.

[Stalker 180]

Crikey Moses, As above.... chill out it is quiet at the moment. For what it’s worth, your advert is fine. I’d price it at £2750. 

It’s  old school diesel with a high tax bracket.

We are based in Newcastle where talk of a ULEZ is rife and making people unsure about diesel unless it’s euro 6.

We have 50 euro 5 diesel cars in stock at the moment  

[Row 71]

I think the main problem is the colour ( I know you can't do anything about that other than not buy that colour in the first place ), I sold the same car a few month ago it was in a nice metallic red but still took 3 months to sell, I kept it at top wack price the hole time and then it sold easily in the end to the right man who popped up, I think the price is ok BTW but that's just me.

[Lazz 16]

I would n't even consider reducing anything unless I have had it over 30 days, if your not careful and keep chopping the price to quickly you will just end up working for nothing all the time, someone will trip up for it.

[tradegirl 112]

9 days is nothing. I know it's unnerving when there are no bites on a car at all, but sod's law you let a car go because you're panicked or desperate, and you get 6 enquiries the following week.

I'm no expert but if the body work is good like you say, try and show it a bit more. I personally like closer photos, but others on here have told me my photos look cropped in.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

When you read the description it says, “VAT inc”at the end ? DON’T use CAPs, are you angry ? 

[Axiom 2]

Thank you very much for all of the constructive comments, it's much appreciated. I suppose the CAPS thing was from a lot of other dealers that I'd seen on AT doing, but my preference would possibly be bullet points.

I have a full time job on top of this, so funding isn't the issue, it's just that I eventually want to get to the point where I can not have to have a full time job to support this.

I use a DSLR, a Canon 1D Mk3 and some nice L series lenses if anyone knows what they are and the vignettes are done in Lightroom. I used to be a professional photographer years and years ago and then used to provide an image editing service for other pro photographers out there.

I suppose that the panic has set in because the cars we've all sold before have all gone within a few days to a week, nothing over that. I know, I know, that's naive! 

It's obviously a minefield knowing what to buy. Traders on here have been against German, German diesel etc, but the Passat 2.0 Tdi estate and Polo we had went within a couple of days. We had lots of calls for both. The '58 308 1.6 we had was the first worry, but even that got a call on the 7th day and sold within half an hour to that buyer. One call and a sale, which is all it takes.

I'll take some of the waffle out and lose the CAPS! I'm a little limited with formatting on the PAYG AT ads though I believe.

Thank you all! 

 

Edited May 19, 2019 by Axiom

[Wheelerdealer1 91]

The ads are fine, just makesure you buying the right car at the right price, and it’s up for sale at a realistic price that punters will pay, or your in the long game of waiting it out 

[sellect2 19]

20 hours ago, justina3 said:

and is very economical with Diesel. ...dont be lazy go find the figure, it would read far better driven well this can achieve 62mpg (for example) 

 

I would never quote MPG figures in an advert, or verbally. If the car does not achieve the figures you quote the customer has a potential to reject the car! Not as described!!!!

[justina3 518]

19 minutes ago, sellect2 said:

I would never quote MPG figures in an advert, or verbally. If the car does not achieve the figures you quote the customer has a potential to reject the car! Not as described!!!!

what a load of tosh, main dealers have been doing it for years and if you ever come across a customer thats going to hold you to ransom over manufacturers quoted figures then what the car does to gallon will be the least of your worries.

[Axiom 2]

Having said all that, we've just sold a different Citroen, a C4 and taken a newer Panda 1.1 with half the mileage in px. 

Edited May 19, 2019 by Axiom

[EPV 631]

7 hours ago, sellect2 said:

I would never quote MPG figures in an advert, or verbally. If the car does not achieve the figures you quote the customer has a potential to reject the car! Not as described!!!!

Absolute cobblers.