Over the last few weeks, I’ve spoken to loads of retailers of all shapes and sizes. And I’ve been really inspired and assured by some of the practices they’re putting in place to gain the trust and confidence of their customers in preparation for when they’re ready to retail again at full capacity. Here’s my collation of some the best practices I’ve observed from retailers across the UK.

Our latest consumer research findings illustrate how UK consumers are thinking about their next vehicle purchase and what that could mean for retailers. Plus, we’ll reveal the new features we’ll be launching soon to help you adapt.

For those of you who were able to join our webinar this week (22nd April), you would have heard me discuss some of the key findings from our latest consumer research. Conducted just last week, four weeks into the COVID-19 lockdown, it was based on three separate surveys which collectively sourced the opinions of over 3,000 people.

This week, Rob Morphet gives us an audience update on Auto Trader Bikes and is joined by Jordan Bikes in Leeds to find out how they're navigating these unprecedented times.

This week, we invited James Marquette, Senior Policy Advisor at the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) to provide insight into the implications COVID-19 is having on consumer finance agreements, and whether there are likely to be any knock-on effects on PCP and PCH agreements as a result. In this guest blog, James explains more…

Jon Davies, Auto Trader’s Brand Partnership Director, discusses the current challenges facing automotive brands and the support we’re offering.

There’s no doubt that the impact of this coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has changed the retail landscape, and its effects will be felt for a long time to come. Whilst no one can predict when things will return to ‘normal’ at a time of such uncertainty, we believe the most powerful thing for any business is information.

We remain committed to doing the right thing to support you and the wider automotive industry. The latest government guidance has extended the current lockdown for at least 3 weeks and as a result we expect dealerships to remain closed. As a sign of our continued support, while you are required to remain closed during May, our advertising packages will remain free.

In my last blog post, I talked about how COVID-19 is affecting pricing, and whether that might affect retailer strategies. Based on your feedback and questions from our weekly webinars, this time I’m looking at shifts in consumer behaviour and the opportunities that might arise for retailers as a result.

Insight into consumer behaviour across our leisure and commercial vehicle channels.

We’ve been getting a lot of questions on pricing trends and behaviour we’re observing, so our Franchise Brand Director did some digging and shares his commentary on what we’re observing, how this might relate to previous economic crises and offers his advice to those in the motor trade. A must read.

In this guest blog with Patrick Fuller, Head of Insight at data science specialists Sophus3, we explore what automotive brands can be doing right now to continue to connect with new car buyers.

Fresh Motors is an award-winning car and van dealership based in Norfolk. We caught up with Jacob for a Q&A to understand more about his experience of shutting down. Plus, hear about what his business is doing right now and how they’re preparing themselves to be ready to reopen when the government advises it is safe to do so.

As you might expect, we’re receiving lots of questions at the moment about what we’re seeing on our platform and how potential car buyers are responding to the current situation. Richard Walker, Data & Insight Director, shares his key insights into the market today.

Distance selling will be uncharted territory for many retailers. But in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, it’s one of the few options retailers have to continue operating. But what exactly is it? And are your current contract terms ready to operate in this way? Our webinar host, Stu Leatherbarrow, caught up with Trading Standards expert, Peter Stonely, to discuss the rules and regulations around distance selling.

What will the future of automotive hold once the current restrictions are lifted? From baby booms to distance selling, Chris Penny, our Franchise Brand Director, offers his thoughts on how our industry might evolve.

Mike Jones, Chairman, ASE answers the questions you submitted to him during our webinar

We’ve collated 5 automotive suppliers, outside of classified advertisers who are offering their support to retailers during these challenging times.

The impacts of Covid-19 on the industry and our marketplace have been profound. With UK retailers closed for business and consumers unable to purchase vehicles, we are all responding to a unique set of challenges.

Discover Auto Trader’s latest tool to help you keep up to date with the current market.