While the European used car market has suffered from trading challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown the market bounced back in June and July with most countries seeing record sales and demand.
That’s great news to see the markets come back to strength so quickly but now our INDICATA used car insights reveal that the European used car market could be short of 500,000 used cars as dealers do not replace used cars as fast as they have sold them.
Shift towards greener cars
The shift towards buying greener cars continues with consumers walking away from older diesel cars. Electric and hybrid used car sales were up year-on-year and overall consumers seem keen to go green.
This is the seventh INDICATA Market Watch Insights report which we have published, and the response has been very positive. Customers are finding INDICATA invaluable in this current used car climate helping them understand in real time what used cars are selling for in their region to help price and sell them profitably.
In this current climate it may mean increasing prices of stock on dealer forecourts. We are starting to see price rises in some markets, but the majority of dealers are still not making the most of these extraordinary market conditions.
INDICATA also helps dealers determine the fastest selling used cars in their region to help them decide what stock to buy at auction. System demonstrations are available across 13 countries, so we urge dealers and asset owners to try it out for themselves to see how it helps transform used car businesses.
Dealers are being cautious
There is definitely restricted stock in many markets, but dealers are being cautious about the volumes of used stock they are buying in the current market.
Record used car demand saw our MarketPlace business unit record its best ever months in the company’s history. Our sales were up by over 30% and as consumer demand changed following the pandemic, we have seen a renewed growth in export as dealers and fleets look for new markets to sell those cars out of fashion and import cars as dealers search for new stock.
We are still in the unique position of our online used vehicle auction platform driving Europe’s used car remarketing industry. It continues to help vendors who want to sell and buyers who want to buy used vehicles with multiple online auctions held daily across more than 30 countries.
Trade in App film launched
Since Autorola Solutions announced its new Trade In App last month, it has received a great reaction from the motor trade. We have now released a film of the App to show you in more detail how it works. Please take a few minutes to watch the film and you may recognise a few Autorola Group colleagues who are now film stars.
We believe the used car markets across Europe will continue to be very busy across the summer and our MarketPlace, INDICATA and Solutions teams look forward to helping and supporting you in whatever way they can.
Happy selling
Peter
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NEWS
Introduction from CEO Peter Grøftehauge
July’s used car growth should give dealers confidence to increase prices says INDICATA
Sales of used cars in Europe rose again in July by an average of 13.5% year-on-year following the June increase of 13.2% according to the latest insights from INDICATA, reinforcing that the sector is alive and well following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Twelve out of the 13 countries, where INDICATA provides real time used car insights, reported a rise in sales, except for the UK which experienced a 1.8% fall, primarily down to a shortage of stock.
12 out of 13 countries saw sales increases in July
Turkey saw a healthy 64% in sales in July while Portugal and Spain reported a 25% and 30% respective sales growth.
Stock shortages continues to be a problem and on average are running at 14% across Europe when comparing 1 August with 1 April, which equates to around half a million cars according to INDICATA data.
UK saw sales fall based on stock shortages
The worst hit markets are in the UK where dealers have 22% fewer cars in stock while Sweden and Poland stock levels have fallen by 26% and 21% respectively. Italy has experienced the strongest stock levels with a fall of just 5% since April.
A number of the countries are turning this stock shortage to their advantage with the likes of Sweden increasing prices by 2.5%, Poland by 1.8% and Turkey experiencing a massive 10% in the last month due to major inflation.
Dealers are passing up chances to increase profits
However, many of the countries are still not increasing prices to reflect reduced stock availability and dealers are passing up chances to increase used car profitability.
INDICATA is encouraging dealers to increase prices on fast moving stock before the opportunity is lost, but to remain cautious on slow moving stock as this should be cleared out whilst demand remains.
Hybrid and electric cars are in high demand
The move to environmental powertrains has continued with the year-on-year sales of hybrid and electric increasing by 98% and 114%. Many companies were waiting for used car buyers to embrace low or zero emission cars and the Covid-19 pandemic seems to be the tipping point required.
Popularity of models varies dramatically country by country but the initial surge in sports cars is falling in place of a growth in SUVs with luxury and small cars strong.
Stock shortages are putting a brake on sales
“With a strong second consecutive used car sales month we are definitely witnessing a major turn in the sector’s fortunes. Indeed, it is stock shortages that is putting a brake on sales, not a slowing down of pent-up demand,” explained Andy Shields, INDICATA’s Global Business Unit Director.
“The strength of the used car market looks encouraging for the rest of the summer, but dealers must now take a hard look at their stock. Caution may return to the market in September. Now is the time to ensure your pricing strategies truly identify fast moving stock and take advantage. If, however, particular stock has not sold in the current market then don’t be greedy as it certainly will not sell if the market turns.”
For further information about INDICATA’s monthly report go to www.indicata.com/corona and sign up to our INDICATA Europe LinkedIn page.
MarketPlace’s digital auctions help Europe’s used car industry deal with the ‘new normal’
At the heart of the used car recovery
The MarketPlace digital platform has been at the heart of Europe’s used car recovery throughout the pandemic with many countries like Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands continuing to trade and support the wholesale market buyers and vendors.
The demand for used cars has been so high that currently there are stock shortages in many countries. Contract extensions means used cars won’t come back into the market until the autumn, while some cars have been locked in compounds and are only just reaching the used market ready for sale.
The industry is still short of stock
That spells good news as supply is starting to improve but still not fast enough to deliver the 500,000 used cars which sister company INDICATA believes dealers need to meet current consumer demand.
In July Italy, Portugal, The Netherlands and Spain all experienced year-on-year sales growth and MarketPlace’s global business unit director Morten Holmsten believes August will continue the growth trend with prices rising in many countries.
Prices must increase
“Markets cannot carry on with demand exceeding supply without prices increasing. Some dealers are short of stock and are trying to buy new stock, but during the pandemic consumers have become more environmentally friendly and are looking to buy a hybrid or electric car.
“That means some dealers are finding it difficult to sell cars they had in stock during lockdown. Meanwhile, used car insights from our INDICATA online platform are showing dealers exactly what they must buy to meet consumer demand. Older cars have also doing well as have sports cars, but trends are changing very quickly, and we are already starting to see this change.
Diesels are making a comeback
“Diesels have started to make a comeback, while SUVs remain extremely popular and older cars continue to be very popular, mainly because they are cheaper. The markets are changing week by week,” he added.
This change in consumer demand has meant that Autorola is seeing more dealers export those cars that are out of favour, while some dealers are turning to import used cars wherever they can just to increase their internal stocks.
Export and import are growing
“Just as we saw after the recession a few years ago, our MarketPlace online portal help balance the demand and supply of cars across Europe. And the same is already happening post Covid-19 lockdown, although not in such high volumes as the markets are still short of used stock,” said Holmsten.
Autorola expects the used market to be very healthy throughout 2020 as it will take time for each country to balance supply and demand. Also with some countries’ economies likely to be affected it could mean older and cheaper cars remain in high demand, although the consumer demand for hybrids and electric cars is likely to push the prices up higher and higher as the stock of used cars will not be able to keep up with demand.
For further information about MarketPlace go to www.autorolagroup.com/business-units/marketplace/
Autorola launches new Trade In App film
Our Autorola Solutions business unit has made a film about its new Trade In App which is an easy to use, real time, valuation solution for dealers to simplify the buying and selling of vehicles.
Trade In is designed to support dealers to sell more cars and increase stock turn to give improved sales volumes and revenues. It provides dealers with the perfect tool to guide customers through a smooth buying process from selling their old car to driving away in a new one.
See the new Trade In film
Read more about Autorola Solutions here.
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