- May 1, 2006
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- Alex
Each marketplace has a formula for each used car listing site. The trick to finding the formula is to try each site out and knowing what your average cost per vehicle is.
For example, I found that Autotrader was decent for stores with an average used vehicle investment under $16,000 per car. While Cars.com was better for stores with inventories at $22,000 or higher for an undisclosed marketplace I tested. The $17 to $21,000 area was sort of a limbo zone in that market.
Every marketplace is different and time can shift things. You just have to test things with each listing site by watching your lead counts, calls, and click referral stats while gut-checking things by listening to your sales floor. Don't just look at sales numbers because your own people can thwart those depending on their love or prejudice toward a particular source.
Use the listing site's tracking numbers and statistics as there are five million technical things that can skew numbers if you try to employ your own tracking number or whatever. Set a fair stage and you'll get a fair answer.
For example, I found that Autotrader was decent for stores with an average used vehicle investment under $16,000 per car. While Cars.com was better for stores with inventories at $22,000 or higher for an undisclosed marketplace I tested. The $17 to $21,000 area was sort of a limbo zone in that market.
Every marketplace is different and time can shift things. You just have to test things with each listing site by watching your lead counts, calls, and click referral stats while gut-checking things by listening to your sales floor. Don't just look at sales numbers because your own people can thwart those depending on their love or prejudice toward a particular source.
Use the listing site's tracking numbers and statistics as there are five million technical things that can skew numbers if you try to employ your own tracking number or whatever. Set a fair stage and you'll get a fair answer.
