BCA has announced a rollout of its new commercial vehicle video appraisal service in 2014.

BCA’s online video appraisals allow buyers to view aspects of the exterior and interior of each vehicle in advance, showing the condition and all-important specification of the vehicle.

BCA general manager, commercial vehicles, Duncan Ward said: "We are delighted to announce that vehicles offered by many of the biggest blue chip vendors of light commercials will include the BCA vehicle video appraisal service for 2014.

"We conducted a thorough and comprehensive pilot during 2013 with selected vendors and the results were exceptionally positive."

He said average residual value performance increased and first-time sale percentages improved. Buyer response was overwhelmingly positive and the service proved very popular with BCA Live Online bidders.

BCA uses the tablet technology to produce a 360-degree 2-minute video of the vehicle’s interior, exterior, roof and loadbay condition. It also offers multiple still images with a zoom feature, to give buyers more flexibility.

The video appraisals are accessed through the online BCA stock locator.

BCA polled its buyer customers about the new service during the pilot period, and more than 70% of buyers polled said BCA’s Online Video Appraisals give them the confidence to bid higher, while 73% said they would be more confident to bid via Live Online. Additionally, 72% said they would recommend the stock to friends/other buyers.

LCV dealers said it gave them the opportunity to pre-sell stock to potential retail customers.

Ward added: "Buyers – including those from overseas - have said the videos are the next best thing to being there in person, proof indeed that this latest innovation from BCA helps maximise buying power and residual values for fleet vendors.

"Technological innovation is critical in the online remarketing arena and BCA has taken a well-proven concept from other sectors such as property and reinvented it as part of the vehicle appraisal process."