Move designed to help dealers during COVID-19.
TRADER Corporation, recently announced that it would waive 100 per cent of autoTRADER.ca marketplace subscription and listing upgrade costs for Canadian dealers during April and May 2020.
This response is designed to build on the company’s March 20 announcement of a 50 per cent price reduction on marketplace subscriptions through May, due to rapidly changing market conditions created by COVID-19.
We are seeing government regulations evolve daily in response to the pandemic, and we must act swiftly to support Canadian dealers and the auto industry at large.
— Sebastian Baldwin, Chief Executive Officer, TRADER Corporation.
“Many of our dealer partners have been forced to temporarily close or work remotely. We recognize the challenges this presents for them and remain committed to working alongside our partners to adapt and find new ways to face these difficulties head on, ” added him.
In addition, the digital solutions provider recently launched a new Remote Selling Suite, offering free access for all dealer partners to carry out everyday sales operations online via the autoTRADER.ca marketplace, which is tracking 3.8 million visits and 12 million Vehicle Detail Page views weekly as of March 30, 2020.
The Remote Selling Suite includes a toolkit of intuitive features that allows dealers to establish meaningful connections with Canadian vehicle shoppers during COVID-19, with new offerings to be added in the coming weeks.
- Reserve It!—An inventory tool that allows dealers to offer customers the ability to reserve a vehicle by placing a credit card deposit, until they can arrange for a safe pick up or delivery. Reserve It! also provides insights on the engagement level of digital shoppers on dealership inventory.
- OTL Events—A dedicated area within the Vehicle Details Page where dealers can highlight their ability to help customers shop remotely, such as up-to-the-minute information about current dealership policies in light of COVID-19.
- Real Time Chat —A personalized chat platform that gives dealers a dedicated channel to connect with customers directly from their mobile and desktop inventory listings, including the ability to record and share video walkthroughs showcasing the interior and exterior of the vehicle.
The revised pricing will be reflected automatically on customer invoices. TRADER will monitor COVID-19 developments and assess the automotive landscape over the coming months.
Dealers are encouraged to contact the Customer Success team at 1-877-414-2030 or via email at [email protected] with any questions.
