An online classified vehicle service can provide convenient networking for dealers
A mobile app enables business to be conducted, anytime, anywhere.
In the remarketing business, dealers are always looking at ways to streamline the process, both in terms of time and money. Traditionally, the only way to buy or sell used cars was to take them to auction, which meant time away from the store. Furthermore, while at auction, whether you bought or sold the vehicle, or even if you ended up doing neither, fairly hefty fees were incurred, it was simply the cost of business in these environments.
Since then, the growth in the Internet has meant that it is now possible to buy and sell used vehicles online at anytime, anywhere. Classified listing services such as those provided by cars.com and autotrader.com in the U.S. prompted Carl DiNardo, CEO of London, Ont. based Wholesale Car Connection, to look at doing something similar in Canada, albeit strictly for dealers and wholesalers.
LIMITLESS LISTINGS
“The idea was to provide such a service that would connect dealers from coast to coast, providing them with an online classified service that enabled them to list an unlimited number of cars.”
Another aspect, was to make it as cost effective as possible, as a result, there’s no membership fee and dealers who join just pay $299 per month. “The dealers like it not only because of the unlimited listing and low cost features,” says DiNardo, “but also because it’s transparent. We provide full CarProof reports on each vehicle, so dealers and wholesalers know exactly what they are getting.” Wholesale also takes care of the uploading process regarding photos and information on each vehicle, which is included in the monthly fee.
In operation for 24 months, Wholesale Car Connection now boasts 350 members and the list keeps growing. Recently, the company also added a mobile app feature to enhance the service’s appeal. “In today’s world, one of our most valuable commodities is time,” says DiNardo. “With the mobile app, used car managers are able to quickly get a price on a vehicle and then send out requests. What it means is that they can get a response much faster and because we’re able to reach a wide audience online, they are more likely to get more offers which can serve to boost the value of trade-ins, giving them more room in terms of haggling. It also enables a dealer to then go to a customer with a higher trade-in value, thereby increasing the chances of sealing the deal.”
DRIVEN BY DEMAND
DiNardo says that the mobile app was driven to an extent by demand in the marketplace.
Wholesale Car Connection has also now teamed up with Boost, providing customers with free, post-dated client ads for all franchised dealers. “We’re excited about this,” says DiNardo and the company is looking to expand this program and also grow further into other markets such as B.C., with the goal of providing a complete classified service for dealers and wholesalers across North America. “We launched this program because more and more third generation dealers are taking the reins and they are embracing the latest in technology. If we can provide them with a remarketing process that is faster, cheaper and more efficient in this brave new world, then we will have succeeded.”
