Five tips for dealers to maximise the value of stock cars

Your stock cars: a sleeping pile of money waiting to be woken up or rather the headache of a new financial hangover? Managing stock cars can be quite a challenge, but with these five tips, you, as a dealer, will maximise their value in no time.

 

1. Find the right customer

For every type of car, there is the right customer. More than one, in fact. But how do you reach that customer? For that, it is best to turn to a reliable partner, such as OPENLANE. OPENLANE’s Europe-wide network gives dealers access to thousands of international professional buyers. And more buyers means more chances of finding the right customer, and thus the best price. After all, what is not popular in your market may be popular in others. After all, car taxation and culture in Europe is very fragmented. Did you know that OPENLANE has more than 100,000 registered buyers spread over more than 50 countries? Therefore, the cars you sell are seen by more people than through other sales channels.

 

2. Rotation

What the coach of a team sport says also applies to your fleet of stock cars: rotation and movement are the best tactics for victory! After all, a car that stands still does not yield anything. On the contrary, that one spot in your warehouse will always cost you the same amount in electricity, maintenance and the like throughout the year. It is best to write off this cost over as many cars as possible. Moreover, the ‘waiting game’ rarely yields enough profit to compensate for a number of missed ‘quick sales’.

 

3. Match supply to demand

Although you can reach a lot of customers by aiming at a broad target group, it is obviously easier to sell more popular cars. Europe is gradually electrifying, some faster than others, while also looking to the used market to supply the private market. So knowing which cars are in demand today and tomorrow is an important quality.

 

4. Digitise

Do not underestimate the importance of having your own network. But despite this, it is becoming increasingly easy to trade via the internet with people from all sorts of countries. Online trading, by the way, is safer than ever. If you, as a dealer, want to auction your stock internationally, OPENLANE is the intermediary you can rely on. You trade in confidence, you do not have to communicate with buyers and you only sell if you are satisfied with the price. There is no obligation to sell, no risk and therefore nothing to lose.

If you, as a dealer, have your own network of buyers and prefer to trade directly with them without an intermediary, you can now use OPENLANE’s “community feature” to create your own group to which you auction exclusively. This solution is already available for a number of countries.

 

5. Ensure quality

We buy mainly with our eyes. So make sure your stock cars are as appealing as possible: invest in a professional cleaning and take lots of pictures, both of the interior and exterior as well as of the various options and accessories. After all, the latter two can raise the price considerably if they are popular options, such as a panoramic roof, towbar or high-tech infotainment system. A detailed description is also important. Be clear, honest and as complete as possible. It will improve your seller score and result in more views on your stock cars.

 

Ready to get the best price for your stock cars? Get a free trial and start selling right away.

Curious what our customers think about their collaboration with OPENLANE? Read all about their experience in our customer case studies.