Are you a car dealer looking to fill up your forecourt? Dealer Auction provide a convenient and efficient way to bid on a wide range of vehicles.
Whether you’re a seasoned bidder on car auction websites or a newcomer to the digital auction scene, mastering the bidding process can significantly enhance your chances of securing the right stock for your dealership.
Here’s a quick guide on how to navigate Digital Auction’s buying options – along with some tips for making sure you’re in a winning position when the (virtual) hammer falls!
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Contents
- Navigating the listings
- Auction
- Buy it now
- Make me an offer
- After you win
- Get your free 30-day trial
Buying and bidding on Dealer Auction
Navigating the listings
Before diving into the ways you can buy on the Dealer Auction portal, we’re here to give you an idea of what to expect when you view a listing.
Whether you click into the ‘Auction’, ‘Buy it now’ or ‘Make me an offer’ section, the listings are automatically ordered by ‘ending soonest’, but you can change it to sort by what works for you. Choose from: newly listed, Auto Trader Retail Rating, price lowest or highest, age, distance, average days to sell and estimated margin. Location is particularly handy if you’re seeking car auctions near you. You can also filter your search by make, model, age, mileage, fuel type, etc.
Once you select a listing, you’ll be presented with images and details about the vehicle. Not only that, but we provide you with the data you need to bid on – or buy – a vehicle, safe in the knowledge that you can sell it quickly and profitably at retail. Our listings are overlaid with industry leading consumer market intelligence, such as Auto Trader’s Retail Rating and ‘days to sell’.
What’s more, you can click the ‘Recommended’ button to see a list of vehicles we’ve picked out for you – based on your Auto Trader forecourt (vehicles sold on Auto Trader) as well as your Dealer Auction buying habits.
Hot tip: Although ‘Ending soonest’ is the default view, check out the ‘newly listed’ results to see the freshest vehicles on the site. This allows you to do your research and find the right – and most profitable – vehicle for your business.
Auction
Here you can view the vehicles listed for auction, sorted by ending soonest, so you’ll see the live car auctions for today first.
Use the quick bid buttons to incrementally increase your bid by £50, £100 or £200. Once you place your bid, you’ll be able to see if it hits the reserve price and if you’re the current highest bidder. It’s a fast-paced environment, so keep an eye on the bidding activity!
Hot tip: You’ll have brushed up on current demand and will know what the vehicle is worth to you. Make sure to keep this magic number in mind so you know when it’s time to up your initial bid or walk away.
We know you’re busy, and our proxy bid system means you don’t need to be there when the auction ends. Simply set your max bid up front and we’ll do the rest! Our proxy bid system will bid up in £50 increments until it reaches your max bid or you’re the highest bidder. This strategy also ensures that you won’t overspend – even in the heat of bidding competition.
Hot tip: Most people bid in even numbers, so by placing bids (or proxy bids) in uneven increments, for example, £353 instead of £350, you’ll increase your chances of success.
Buy it now
As well as live car auctions, the ‘Buy it now’ option provides a guaranteed alternative for snapping up the stock you need as soon as possible. If a seller offers this option, you can purchase the vehicle immediately at a predetermined price without waiting for the auction to conclude. It’s perfect for those who simply want to secure a deal swiftly.
It’s worth noting that some listings will feature both auction and ‘buy it now’ options.
Make me an offer
Some listings on the Dealer Auction portal will allow buyers to make offers. This feature enables you to negotiate directly with the seller outside of the auction format. This can be an excellent opportunity to strike a deal that works for both parties.
Once an offer has been made, the seller has 24 hours to either accept or reject your offer. If the offer is rejected, you’ll have the opportunity to make a higher offer. If your offer is accepted, you’ll receive an email to confirm you have won the vehicle.
After you win
With these strategies in your toolkit, you’ll be well-equipped to find and win the stock you need.
Whether you’re looking to ‘buy it now’ or trying your hand at bidding on Dealer Auction, remember that all sales are subject to our T&Cs – please make arrangements to pay for and collect the vehicle within 72 hours.
If you don’t win on this occasion, don’t worry! With fresh stock added daily and 600 auctions ending each day, you’ll be sure to find what you need.
Get your free 30-day trial
Want to jump into the world of digital auctions? There are just three quick steps to register for Dealer Auction, read more here and sign up using the form below. Happy bidding!
