AT Price Indicators

[A & S 20]

Received an email from AT today with a change of price indicators - fair price or high price. Do you guys think it will be better for us dealers who are selling quality cars and competing with cars that are below par condition?

The low, great, good price will be history I think this will replace it.

[CCC 31]

Does sound like it will encourage a race to the bottom on pricing (or slow sales on fairly priced cars). No idea why they are changing what seemed a sensible and well understood system. My gut feel is that their income is dropping (after years of growth) so maybe rushing some changes through?

[Harry George 0]

Funny how prices are more critical now and there will be 5 levels yet no mention of  admin fees still, as ever, as transparent as mud! 

[chrishowie 14]

Really odd, I just don't understand how the system can say what is a good / poor price when so much more is involved.

A car with similar miles but one has 12 months mot, cambelt changes and full history and the other has nothing and is pictured on a pub car park?

But I did chuckle when I priced something 10k over retail (simple mistake on the keyboard) and it gave me NO price indication marker..... hehe

[Mark101 536]

25 minutes ago, chrishowie said:

A car with similar miles but one has 12 months mot, cambelt changes and full history and the other has nothing and is pictured on a pub car park?

This /\/\/\

Used car sales does not lend itself well to price indicators, in fact it is ridiculous.

Pricing low to high or indicators works for new goods (not cars). For example, I have just bought another Nest camera (I have 5 work and home). I know how they work, I know how to contact Nest for support, so all I need is the cheapest, quickest, closest. That said, I would have still paid an extra tenner to have been able to get one straight away instead of next day.

 

[Anglo9 26]

Honestly , at the moment price indicators and search information seem to have no correlation with what I'm actually selling

[AAM90 22]

The high price indicator is deeply unpopular with most of the trade. Autotrader biting the hand that feeds them yet again.

If you can be arsed there is a complaint section on Autotrader. I shall be complaining and I know a few others have.

If a high enough percentage of dealers complain they may listen? 

It has to be worth 5 mins of your time ladies and gents

 

 

[andymc1973 199]

IIRC they were stopping people advertising who used admin fees, the price on the advert is the price you'll pay or so they claimed

[Tony F 38]

In the interest of transfuckingparency, looks like the new and exciting HIGH PRICE indicators are coming from A/T. They may as well start handing out Parkers fucking guides next. All thats left is 'days in stock' marker to appear next. Apologies in advance if this subject has been recently discussed.

https://trade.autotrader.co.uk/car-buyer-confidence/?utm_source=Trade_Marketing_TOLA&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=car_buying_confidence_oct19&m_i=y_jDMJidXwacFavfO8Zo_iZVqybiAIjUBF6G0NopcWMMGtWGnW2Fv9a29AFX5W0xJb7TcZWdhR9966cwVEC2XSPUz3AxltYHqTEyyE

I posted the above yesterday in Umesh's thread on value markers in the private section.

I think this is a very serious issue heading our way in December. Don't know about most of you guys but half or more of my cars may show up as 'high price'. I think everyone needs to email Autotrader to complain, and for once they may just listen if there are enough complaints.

I am sure most of you know that you can actually completely bypass the price indicators by loading your stock without a reg number!! Might take a minute or 2 longer but may have no other choice.

I emailed a complaint to our A/T rep today. I am sure he will read it, realise he is unable to answer as its not in his company script, then hit delete. 

 

[NacMan 67]

1 hour ago, Tony F said:

In the interest of transfuckingparency, looks like the new and exciting HIGH PRICE indicators are coming from A/T. They may as well start handing out Parkers fucking guides next. All thats left is 'days in stock' marker to appear next. Apologies in advance if this subject has been recently discussed.

https://trade.autotrader.co.uk/car-buyer-confidence/?utm_source=Trade_Marketing_TOLA&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=car_buying_confidence_oct19&m_i=y_jDMJidXwacFavfO8Zo_iZVqybiAIjUBF6G0NopcWMMGtWGnW2Fv9a29AFX5W0xJb7TcZWdhR9966cwVEC2XSPUz3AxltYHqTEyyE

I posted the above yesterday in Umesh's thread on value markers in the private section.

I think this is a very serious issue heading our way in December. Don't know about most of you guys but half or more of my cars may show up as 'high price'. I think everyone needs to email Autotrader to complain, and for once they may just listen if there are enough complaints.

I am sure most of you know that you can actually completely bypass the price indicators by loading your stock without a reg number!! Might take a minute or 2 longer but may have no other choice.

I emailed a complaint to our A/T rep today. I am sure he will read it, realise he is unable to answer as its not in his company script, then hit delete. 

 

Good idea!

[sellect2 19]

5 hours ago, AAM90 said:

The high price indicator is deeply unpopular with most of the trade. Autotrader biting the hand that feeds them yet again.

If you can be arsed there is a complaint section on Autotrader. I shall be complaining and I know a few others have.

If a high enough percentage of dealers complain they may listen? 

It has to be worth 5 mins of your time ladies and gents

 

 

They will never listen, you forget they know best!!!!

[J.T 39]

2 hours ago, Tony F said:

In the interest of transfuckingparency, looks like the new and exciting HIGH PRICE indicators are coming from A/T. They may as well start handing out Parkers fucking guides next. All thats left is 'days in stock' marker to appear next. Apologies in advance if this subject has been recently discussed.

https://trade.autotrader.co.uk/car-buyer-confidence/?utm_source=Trade_Marketing_TOLA&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=car_buying_confidence_oct19&m_i=y_jDMJidXwacFavfO8Zo_iZVqybiAIjUBF6G0NopcWMMGtWGnW2Fv9a29AFX5W0xJb7TcZWdhR9966cwVEC2XSPUz3AxltYHqTEyyE

I posted the above yesterday in Umesh's thread on value markers in the private section.

I think this is a very serious issue heading our way in December. Don't know about most of you guys but half or more of my cars may show up as 'high price'. I think everyone needs to email Autotrader to complain, and for once they may just listen if there are enough complaints.

I am sure most of you know that you can actually completely bypass the price indicators by loading your stock without a reg number!! Might take a minute or 2 longer but may have no other choice.

I emailed a complaint to our A/T rep today. I am sure he will read it, realise he is unable to answer as its not in his company script, then hit delete. 

 

I just brought up a little bit of sick reading that thing from Autotrader, when are they going to realise that we are the ones that pay their wages not the customers on their website.

Has anyone else noticed that you can't leave Autotrader a review on Google? Strange that, especially when they tell us how important reviews are from our customers.

[trade vet 701]

It won’t stop there.The next thing could be that dealers will be ‘ awarded ‘ a star rating .The more stars,the more you pay ! 

[Mark101 536]

Moaning is futile. They are not daft, believe me.

For as long as they are more important to us than we are them; either put up or shut up.

Personally, they haven’t isolated me to ginneau pig an idea, it affects everyone from main agent to doorstepper., level playing field. Do I like it, no - is it the same for everyone, yes.

So, my question; What has changed?

 

Edited November 1, 2019 by Mark101

[MattR 177]

15 hours ago, Mark101 said:

Moaning is futile. They are not daft, believe me.

For as long as they are more important to us than we are them; either put up or shut up.

Personally, they haven’t isolated me to ginneau pig an idea, it affects everyone from main agent to doorstepper., level playing field. Do I like it, no - is it the same for everyone, yes.

So, my question; What has changed?

 

I think many of us on here have moaned at AT before. It never seems to achieve anything. They are very much a 'take it or leave it company' . Annual price increases, package changes, still we stick around, and with a few exceptions, it works for us. 

But it is the same for everyone. If you're selling bread and butter and expecting a result from any advertising platform you will need to be in a good or great price point anyway 8 out of 10 times. If I sell an expensive Fiesta, its because someone has walked on my pitch or driven past and its caught their eye. 

If youre selling something different, unique, well specced, if its something that someone wants, and no one else has it, High price is fine. they cant get one anywhere else. And some will still click on a car which has a 'high' price marker against it if only to see why. And if the 'why' is because that car has had 1 lady owner, a cambelt change, Leather, sat nav or whatever else, they might, just might, consider it better value than the cheaper one without those bits.

So I'm not going to send a protest letter into AT. It'll take me longer to write it than it will for them to throw it in the bin. 

 

[Mark101 536]

16 minutes ago, MattR said:

And some will still click on a car which has a 'high' price marker against it if only to see why. And if the 'why' is because that car has had 1 lady owner, a cambelt change, Leather, sat nav or whatever else, they might, just might, consider it better value than the cheaper one without those bits.

My kind of customer.

 

16 minutes ago, MattR said:

So I'm not going to send a protest letter into AT. It'll take me longer to write it than it will for them to throw it in the bin. 

And neither shall I.

There are probably 20 serious active traders on here and even if all 20 bothered to complain, it would be a drop in the ocean to all their other customers.

We are small fish my friends. I will stay with AT regardless what they do for as long as I can realise a return. The minute that stops, I will try something different.

[NacMan 67]

On 11/1/2019 at 7:21 PM, J.T said:

I just brought up a little bit of sick reading that thing from Autotrader, when are they going to realise that we are the ones that pay their wages not the customers on their website.

Has anyone else noticed that you can't leave Autotrader a review on Google? Strange that, especially when they tell us how important reviews are from our customers.

+1

On 11/1/2019 at 7:43 PM, trade vet said:

It won’t stop there.The next thing could be that dealers will be ‘ awarded ‘ a star rating .The more stars,the more you pay ! 

don't be giving them ideas

[beckly car sales 1]

On 11/1/2019 at 1:47 PM, AAM90 said:

The high price indicator is deeply unpopular with most of the trade. Autotrader biting the hand that feeds them yet again.

If you can be arsed there is a complaint section on Autotrader. I shall be complaining and I know a few others have.

If a high enough percentage of dealers complain they may listen? 

It has to be worth 5 mins of your time ladies and gents

 

 

They just put me out of business with this. Buying cars with high desirability rating AT at BCA fetch 5 to 8 hundred quid over ATs trade price, so every car we sell will have a fucking RED BANNER FUCKING WARNING HIGH PRICE im livid and just dont get how auto trader justify it as transparency,if that where the case private ads would have price indicator too RANT OVER

[Earunder 69]

On 11/1/2019 at 7:21 PM, J.T said:

Has anyone else noticed that you can't leave Autotrader a review on Google?

Not to defend them as they are overpricing themselves each year (and with a shrinking Audience to add) but you can leave them reviews on facebook, Trust Pilot, etc

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.autotrader.co.uk

[Harry George 0]

3 hours ago, beckly car sales said:

They just put me out of business with this. Buying cars with high desirability rating AT at BCA fetch 5 to 8 hundred quid over ATs trade price, so every car we sell will have a fucking RED BANNER FUCKING WARNING HIGH PRICE im livid and just dont get how auto trader justify it as transparency,if that where the case private ads would have price indicator too RANT OVER

Had a go at our rep today - as usual a waste of time, then this afternoon get the email that 88% of punters expect better transparency (they don’t care about admin fees though obviously).

I’ve got a 1 year old 2000 mile bmw with £6100 of extras that they allow an extra £600 for.

Sometimes you feel like giving up, but there’s always tomorrow!

[Casper 272]

1 hour ago, Harry George said:

Had a go at our rep today - as usual a waste of time, then this afternoon get the email that 88% of punters expect better transparency (they don’t care about admin fees though obviously).

I’ve got a 1 year old 2000 mile bmw with £6100 of extras that they allow an extra £600 for.

Sometimes you feel like giving up, but there’s always tomorrow!

Tomorrow is another day exactly 

[EPV 631]

1 hour ago, Harry George said:

Had a go at our rep today - as usual a waste of time, then this afternoon get the email that 88% of punters expect better transparency (they don’t care about admin fees though obviously).

I’ve got a 1 year old 2000 mile bmw with £6100 of extras that they allow an extra £600 for.

Sometimes you feel like giving up, but there’s always tomorrow!

Sorry mate but a little “high price” marker on your advert won’t stop people buying a car like that. Very rare to have that sort of spec on a 1 series and people who want that sort of a car will either pay for it, or won’t. A little sticker on your advert won’t make a blind bit of difference. 

[Harry George 0]

No you are probably right EPV, it’s a 2 series not that that changes much.

With this particular car how can £6100 equate to £600 on such a late car was my thinking, it’s wrong imo.

I can live with no sticker but we all know the red is just another hurdle.

Regards

 

 

 

 

 

[AAM90 22]

Who else is on the Facebook group Car Sales/ Dealers?

Alot of ranting on there about price markers. An Autotrader manager offered to join the group and answer questions/concerns. So they do know they are upsetting dealers.

 

[David Ayers 171]

They know they are upsetting dealers.

They just don't care.