Previous post on this topic
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #8
Lead #10: It's been a while since I've updated this topic because the leads seem to have dropped off. The person in Lead #9 followed up with a couple of phone calls and set an appointment to come see the car but was a no-show. A lead came in today through the dealer's website from someone who found them in a Google search. No questions about the car, no phone calls, just submitted a credit app. Usually when customers submit an app and don't even ask about a vehicle, that tells me they're shopping around for someone who will approve them with bad credit. Seemed to be the case here, as the dealer told me they had a 380 beacon. Guess the car isn't getting sold today.
Autotrader.com - 1
CraigsList.org - 4
Cars.com - 2
AutoExtra.com - 0
Google Base - 0
A Dealership Website - 2
Kijiji - 1
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Showing posts with label Auto Classified Site Comparison #2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Auto Classified Site Comparison #2. Show all posts
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Best Used Car Classified Site #8
Previous post on this topic
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #7
Lead #9: Another lead from Craigs List came in yesterday. This shopper said they ready to buy immediately but had a few questions. They want to know the VIN, location, maintenance records, financing ability, and "more information". I supplied them with the info they requested so we'll see what happens.
Autotrader.com - 1
CraigsList.org - 4
Cars.com - 2
AutoExtra.com - 0
Google Base - 0
A Dealership Website - 1*
Kijiji - 1
* Denotes the lead originated from an affiliated site not listed above
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #7
Lead #9: Another lead from Craigs List came in yesterday. This shopper said they ready to buy immediately but had a few questions. They want to know the VIN, location, maintenance records, financing ability, and "more information". I supplied them with the info they requested so we'll see what happens.
Autotrader.com - 1
CraigsList.org - 4
Cars.com - 2
AutoExtra.com - 0
Google Base - 0
A Dealership Website - 1*
Kijiji - 1
* Denotes the lead originated from an affiliated site not listed above
Next Post on this Topic:
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #9
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #9
Friday, October 26, 2007
Best Used Car Classified Site #7
Previous post on this topic
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #6
Lead #8: Another lead from Craigs List today. This shopper was definitely looking for a deal. They supposedly drove 100 miles to look at another one yesterday - same year/make/model with similar miles. They asked me if they could buy mine for $5500 which is about $2000 below asking price. The justification: they didn't want to drive 100 miles back to conduct the transaction on the other one.
Autotrader.com - 1
CraigsList.org - 3
Cars.com - 2
AutoExtra.com - 0
Google Base - 0
A Dealership Website - 1*
Kijiji - 1
* Denotes the lead originated from an affiliated site not listed above
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #6
Lead #8: Another lead from Craigs List today. This shopper was definitely looking for a deal. They supposedly drove 100 miles to look at another one yesterday - same year/make/model with similar miles. They asked me if they could buy mine for $5500 which is about $2000 below asking price. The justification: they didn't want to drive 100 miles back to conduct the transaction on the other one.
Autotrader.com - 1
CraigsList.org - 3
Cars.com - 2
AutoExtra.com - 0
Google Base - 0
A Dealership Website - 1*
Kijiji - 1
* Denotes the lead originated from an affiliated site not listed above
Next Post on this topic
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #8
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #8
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Best Used Car Classified Site #6
Previous post on this topic
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #5
Lead #7: The first lead from Autotrader.com. This lead came in as a credit application. The person who submitted the credit app clicked over to the dealer site from the dealer's "specials" page. Since my vehicle isn't listed on the dealer's specials page, this illustrates one of the benefits of Autotrader.com driving traffic to the dealer website.
Autotrader.com - 1
CraigsList.org - 2
Cars.com - 2
AutoExtra.com - 0
Google Base - 0
A Dealership Website - 1*
Kijiji - 1
* Denotes the lead originated from an affiliated site
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #5
Lead #7: The first lead from Autotrader.com. This lead came in as a credit application. The person who submitted the credit app clicked over to the dealer site from the dealer's "specials" page. Since my vehicle isn't listed on the dealer's specials page, this illustrates one of the benefits of Autotrader.com driving traffic to the dealer website.
Autotrader.com - 1
CraigsList.org - 2
Cars.com - 2
AutoExtra.com - 0
Google Base - 0
A Dealership Website - 1*
Kijiji - 1
* Denotes the lead originated from an affiliated site
Next Post on this Topic
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Best Used Car Classified Site #5
Previous Post on this topic
Another day, another lead. I think I just found a vehicle for a third experiment so I'd like to get this one off the "lot" soon.
Lead #6: This guy was looking at the vehicle on the dealer's website and called me direct. Of course I asked him how he got to the dealer's site (which most dealers fail to do) and he said Cars.com. He was looking for a Jeep in the $7000 to $8000 range, had bad credit, and didn't want to put a penny down on the purchase. Perhaps I should become a bookie with all these people calling who can't get financed.
Autotrader.com - 0
CraigsList.org - 2
Cars.com - 2
AutoExtra.com - 0
Google Base - 0
A Dealership Website - 1*
Kijiji - 1
* Denotes the lead originated from an affiliated site
Best Used Car Classified Site #4
Previous Post on this topic
Pricing has been reduced across all sites to $7599 to see what that does for leads.
Lead #4 Update: The person who I spoke with the other evening did finally submit a credit application through the dealer website, however it was for a different vehicle. Not surprising since a large percentage of shoppers end up in a different vehicle from the one they first inquired about.
Lead #5: Another Craigs List response. This woman called yesterday and told me her entire story about why her credit was bad and that she needed financing. I referred her to the dealer site for an application just like I did for Lead #4, so we'll see if she gets sidetracked into another vehicle too. So far she has not submitted an application, but from what she was telling me it sounds like she should be approved (significant down payment, no repo's, $45k annual salary).
Autotrader.com - 0
CraigsList.org - 2
Cars.com - 1*
AutoExtra.com - 0
Google Base - 0
A Dealership Website - 1*
Kijiji - 1
* Denotes the lead originated from an affiliated site
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Best Used Car Classified Site #3
Previous Post on this topic
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #2
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #2
I haven't got around to changing the price yet or reposting on Craigs List, but I received another 2 leads today.
Lead #3: Someone found my vehicle on InternetAutoGuide.com, which is apparently one of the affiliates of Cars.com. I wasn't aware of this site in the Cars.com network, but apparently others are. This person thought the price was a little high (no surprise there) but said he would like to check out the car on Friday when he's in my area. We all know how "be-backs" usually turn out, even though he's technically not a be-back, but I am changing the price and re-posting anyway.
My thoughts are that I'm getting some looks, and with a more competitive price it should sell fairly quickly. I'll classify this lead as a Cars.com lead since it wouldn't have come in without Cars.com, just like a Yahoo! Autos lead would be considered MSN. I'll note the lead with a Barry Bonds asterisk as well.
Lead #4: Another person called this evening who saw the ad on Craigs List. Seemed to be legit, but had some credit issues and wanted to finance the car with $400 down. I told him to submit an application on the dealer site I also have the vehicle listed with. If he's approved I'll consign it with the dealer and let him make his money on the back end.
Autotrader.com - 0
CraigsList.org - 1
Cars.com - 1*
AutoExtra.com - 0
Google Base - 0
A Dealership Website - 1*
Kijiji - 1
* Denotes the lead originated from an affiliated site
Lead #3: Someone found my vehicle on InternetAutoGuide.com, which is apparently one of the affiliates of Cars.com. I wasn't aware of this site in the Cars.com network, but apparently others are. This person thought the price was a little high (no surprise there) but said he would like to check out the car on Friday when he's in my area. We all know how "be-backs" usually turn out, even though he's technically not a be-back, but I am changing the price and re-posting anyway.
My thoughts are that I'm getting some looks, and with a more competitive price it should sell fairly quickly. I'll classify this lead as a Cars.com lead since it wouldn't have come in without Cars.com, just like a Yahoo! Autos lead would be considered MSN. I'll note the lead with a Barry Bonds asterisk as well.
Lead #4: Another person called this evening who saw the ad on Craigs List. Seemed to be legit, but had some credit issues and wanted to finance the car with $400 down. I told him to submit an application on the dealer site I also have the vehicle listed with. If he's approved I'll consign it with the dealer and let him make his money on the back end.
Autotrader.com - 0
CraigsList.org - 1
Cars.com - 1*
AutoExtra.com - 0
Google Base - 0
A Dealership Website - 1*
Kijiji - 1
* Denotes the lead originated from an affiliated site
Monday, October 08, 2007
Best Used Car Classified Site #2
Well, it's been about 2 weeks since listing the Jeep on the various classified sites, and so far, only 2 responses. That's actually better than I expected, considering the price is $7850, well above what it probably should be.
Lead #1: Kijiji sent a lead my way, someone who wanted to trade a motorcycle for the Jeep straight up. There's a reason I don't own a bike (30+ speeding tickets over the years) and I'd like to stay out of trouble.
Lead #2: The second lead came through the website of the dealer who allowed me to list the Jeep on his site. Someone applied for financing and was willing to pay $375/month for it. I was a little excited since there was room to work a deal, but the dealer pulled the person's credit and they've had 2 repo's (one in the last month), a bankruptcy, and an existing car loan. I was curious where the lead #2 originated from, so I did a little digging. This person didn't actually see the Jeep prior to visiting the dealer's site. He found a link to the site from another third party site, basically a local directory of car dealers.
My original plan was to feel the market out by starting high. It's been two weeks and I think I should have received more than 2 leads for this vehicle, so I'm going to drop the price to $7599 and see what happens. I'm also reposting on Craigs List since I have a hard time even finding the vehicle on there after 2 weeks.
Autotrader.com - 0
CraigsList.org - 0
Cars.com - 0
AutoExtra.com - 0
Google Base - 0
A Dealership Website - 1
Kijiji - 1
Lead #1: Kijiji sent a lead my way, someone who wanted to trade a motorcycle for the Jeep straight up. There's a reason I don't own a bike (30+ speeding tickets over the years) and I'd like to stay out of trouble.
Lead #2: The second lead came through the website of the dealer who allowed me to list the Jeep on his site. Someone applied for financing and was willing to pay $375/month for it. I was a little excited since there was room to work a deal, but the dealer pulled the person's credit and they've had 2 repo's (one in the last month), a bankruptcy, and an existing car loan. I was curious where the lead #2 originated from, so I did a little digging. This person didn't actually see the Jeep prior to visiting the dealer's site. He found a link to the site from another third party site, basically a local directory of car dealers.
My original plan was to feel the market out by starting high. It's been two weeks and I think I should have received more than 2 leads for this vehicle, so I'm going to drop the price to $7599 and see what happens. I'm also reposting on Craigs List since I have a hard time even finding the vehicle on there after 2 weeks.
Autotrader.com - 0
CraigsList.org - 0
Cars.com - 0
AutoExtra.com - 0
Google Base - 0
A Dealership Website - 1
Kijiji - 1
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Which Classified Website Works Best to Sell Cars?
I wrote a post a while back which chronicled my experiment to determine if Autotrader.com or Craigs List would work better to sell a budget car. Craigs List generated more leads than Autotrader, but ultimately I ended up dumping the car on eBay after 6 months. The experiment was informative for me (and hopefully our readers), but it did leave some questions behind. The biggest question I have is that I'm curious if my instinct is correct in assuming Craigs List will do better for the lower budget cars. I've decided to tackle this question through Autotrader vs. Craigs List, Round 2.
This time around I've included a few other classified sites to look at the broader picture. The sites the vehicle will be listed on include:
Autotrader.com
CraigsList.org
Cars.com
AutoExtra.com
Google Base
A Dealership Website
Kijiji
The vehicle is a more desirable vehicle than the last one, and in the "sweet spot" as far as pricing (between $5k and $10k). For this experiment I've purchased a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. After a couple hundred in parts to fix a couple minor details, sales tax, registration costs, etc., I'm into the thing for about $6000. More than what a dealer would have paid, yes, but I'm a private party so I think I did fairly well.
Vehicle Details:
Total Cost Basis: $6000
108k miles
4.0 Liter, 6 cylinder
4 wheel drive
Fully loaded with all options except sunroof
Brand new tires
I'm listing the selling price at $7850 to start. Sure it's a little high, but if I don't need to sell it quickly, why not start there? Worst case scenario I don't get any action and have to drop the price. I'll be updating this post periodically, so be sure to check back and see....
This time around I've included a few other classified sites to look at the broader picture. The sites the vehicle will be listed on include:
Autotrader.com
CraigsList.org
Cars.com
AutoExtra.com
Google Base
A Dealership Website
Kijiji
The vehicle is a more desirable vehicle than the last one, and in the "sweet spot" as far as pricing (between $5k and $10k). For this experiment I've purchased a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. After a couple hundred in parts to fix a couple minor details, sales tax, registration costs, etc., I'm into the thing for about $6000. More than what a dealer would have paid, yes, but I'm a private party so I think I did fairly well.
Vehicle Details:
Total Cost Basis: $6000
108k miles
4.0 Liter, 6 cylinder
4 wheel drive
Fully loaded with all options except sunroof
Brand new tires
I'm listing the selling price at $7850 to start. Sure it's a little high, but if I don't need to sell it quickly, why not start there? Worst case scenario I don't get any action and have to drop the price. I'll be updating this post periodically, so be sure to check back and see....
Which Classified Website Works Best to Sell Cars
See the next post in this series about
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #2
See the next post in this series about
Which Classified Site Works Best to Sell Cars #2
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