Hey
@Carsten - Let me start by saying that I don't want to be a discouragement to you AT ALL, but I gotta ask.
Disclosure: We're building a marketplace... page 2 warned against doing what we are doing.
The guys above nailed it. I've worked for Cars, CarStory, and Vroom in my time in auto. All featured a "listings marketplace" in some form. They devoted tons of resources and even more cash to audience creation and optimization of the listings to generate a consumer action that helps sell a car. The entrenched endemics are just one of the competitive forces you'll face.
A few years back dealers really began to protect their inventory as an asset. The thought process was "if consumers visit marketplaces to see inventory, why am I paying a marketplace to list MY inventory? I'd rather have the consumer on my site. Am I giving away my competitive advantage in search?" I'm not suggesting that this is always the right thought process, but I think it is a headwind you will face if you don't have a strong value proposition for your dealer partners. Dealers may see your startup as competition rather than an asset.
No need to respond here. I just want to give you a few more questions to chew on while you chart this course:
-What is it about creating a marketplace that has you excited?
- Is there a specific improvement to the VDP that you have tested that improves capture or action? Is that an improvement dealers can deploy on their own sites?
-Can you channel that excitement to solve a different problem for dealers or make a material improvement on a process?
Last thought: Dealers are incredibly savvy business people. They are always searching for improvements. They will try "new things." But as Uncle
@joe.pistell likes to say, the ultimate thing that will define your success is DISC... Does It Sell Cars. You may find that applying your skills, talents and efforts to a derivative of your marketplace concept may meet that objective with less initial friction.
