Dealer Auction prides itself on making it easier to connect the right buyer with your stock. However, in today’s fast-moving market, there are often things you can do to help your stock sell even easier! Whether you’re new to selling on Dealer Auction, or a seasoned pro, follow these tips for selling success…
1) Do the prep work
Before you upload your vehicle, make sure you’ve done all the prep work to speed up the listing process.
Have you got all the paperwork to hand, including the MOT, V5, and service book? Do you know the vehicle’s ‘Stand in Value’ (SIV)?
You’ll also want to wash and valet the car and remove any merchandising or retail stickers before you take any photos. It doesn’t need to look like a retail sale, but a clean car can go a long way to attracting a buyer and building your professional reputation online.
2) Take the right photos
Did you know that 64% of dealers have indicated that they wouldn’t consider buying a used car without quality images? The photo is usually the first thing that grabs a buyer’s attention, so make sure to spend some time getting your photography just right. Think about your background, and make sure to cover all angles.
In fact, providing more images is proven to attract more bids – listings on Dealer Auction with 11-20 images receive double the bids than listings with 2-5 images!
Include photos of any damage, this gives buyers confidence that your vehicle will be as described and enable them to estimate how much it will cost to get retail-ready.
Click here for more tips on taking the right photos of your stock
3) Take time on the description
The vehicle description should be detailed enough to help sell the vehicle, but not long enough to put off a potential buyer from reading it all. Try structuring it into three parts: a quick overview, exterior condition and interior condition, and keep the T&Cs to a minimum.
Spacing is also crucial to help make the information digestible. Be clear and concise, and don’t be afraid to use bullet points. Also, consider creating a description template that you use on every vehicle to save time, just remember to include the right details!
Click here for an example of a great vehicle description
4) The devil is in the detail
Derivatives can help make your advert more eye-catching, so think about what will make sure your vehicle stands out. Does it have low mileage? One careful owner? Optional Sat-Nav? All of these can help differentiate your vehicle from other similar vehicles on the Dealer Auction platform.
At the same time, don’t fail to mention any damage, warning lights or missing equipment, and be accurate with your tyre tread depths! The description should be a fair representation of the vehicle and you’ll want to avoid any difficult conversations at the point of collection.
5) Consider your reserve price and starting bid
Did you know that setting the reserve price at around 95-96% of CAP will attract more buyers and bidding activity? Our data shows this improves your chance to sell by 30% compared to listing at 102% of CAP Clean.
You should also consider setting an attractive starting bid. Dealer Auction helps by analysing recent sold data on similar vehicles to recommend a starting and reserve price.
6) Stay in control of the sale
There’s nothing worse than waiting to be paid for your vehicle after the sales are secured. We recommend contacting the buyer, preferably by phone, immediately after the auction has finished to arrange payment and collection/delivery. This will ensure a smooth process and gives you the peace of mind to focus on selling your next vehicle.
7) Promote, promote, promote!
As a person who manages the remarketing activities for your dealership, you’ll likely be connected with many dealers on social media who would be interested in your stock. So, why not promote your vehicles across your personal channels? LinkedIn is a great way to make dealers aware of the stock you have listed on the platform and attract even more potential buyers.
8) Try listing everything
In today’s market where used car stock supply is down, it can be easy to find a buyer for most vehicles providing the right description and photos are included. Have you got that one vehicle that just won’t sell because of a dent in the bumper? Or a part-ex motorbike you don’t know what to do with? Try listing everything you have on Dealer Auction!
Interested in selling?
Book an appointment with one of our dedicated remarketing specialists to get a tour of the platform.
