Auto Trader COVID-19 support extended into May
By Nathan Coe, 17/04/2020
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. If dealerships are able to open at any point during May, we will continue the free period for a further eight days beyond this date, giving you a chance to get back to business and start trading again. These changes are in addition to the double stock offer that is also running until the end of May.
I appreciate that it’s hard for any of us to look beyond the next few weeks at the moment, but a significant number of people continue to research vehicles and make enquiries. Despite dealerships being closed, you can still ensure your vehicles are being seen, giving you the best chance of a fast start when the current situation improves. Our data tells us that:
unique visitors to Auto Trader remain at over 750k per day;
75% of buyers surveyed still want to purchase, either now or in the coming months; and
88% of buyers said they would spend the same amount or more time researching their next vehicle whilst in lockdown.
To the extent you are still able to engage with buyers, we are seeing plenty of activity through email, calls, text and live chat. Many retailers are treating these leads as a pipeline for future sales for when the market re-opens. To stay up to date with our latest insight, please continue to check our Retailer Support Hub, weekly webinars, Insight Blog and our new Market Insight tool.
I recognise that for many of you, these are challenging times and you have many things to worry about and so I hope this provides reassurance that Auto Trader is on your side. We need to look after our own people and business, but we are making every effort to do the right thing by you as well. Our teams continue to be available on the phone and are entirely focused on doing what they can to help.
Our best wishes are with all of you at this uncertain time.
Nathan Coe
Chief Executive Officer