What Car? enhances New Car Buying platform to include stocked cars

What Car? has added a new feature to its New Car Buying platform that allows dealers to sell unregistered, pre-registered and nearly new cars from stock.

The additional functionality has been developed during the COVID-19 lockdown period at the request of the 900 retailers already using the platform.

Buyers can contact retailers about the type of car they are looking for online, including outlining time-saving details such as their preferred budget, car specification and colours.

Retailers using What Car?’s New Car Buying platform are then notified of these in-stock car requests via email notification and can then manage the customer’s enquiry via What Car?’s central lead management system.

“During these incredibly difficult months for the industry we have done everything we can to stand by our retail partners, and this is another example of how we have kept improving our platform so that it is best-in-class as customers return to buy cars,” said Kate Hannam, director of sales and commercial partnerships for What Car?.

“The number of retailers using our platform has grown significantly in recent months, as have the number of leads we are sending them. To be able to add this crucial functionality to our product and help drive sales and success during this difficult period is fantastic news.”

Access to leads from What Car?’s New Car Buying platform is open to any franchised dealer or OEM for free on a trial basis until September, with no lock-in period, as part of the brand’s commitment to help get the automotive industry back on its feet in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The company extended free access to its online New Car Buying platform management service until the end of September, in its continued effort to help the industry recover from the slump caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Chris Martin, head of product for What Car?, added: “The goal was to create a product that widens the number and types of vehicles retailers can advertise on our site, while showcasing more great value cars for our audience. I’m delighted that we have been able to deliver this so quickly, and at a time it can really help the industry.”

Retailers using What Car?’s New Car Buying platform include Ford Retail, JCT 600, Hendy Group, Marshall Motor Group, Robins & Day, Snows, Vertu Motors, Vindis and Waylands Automotive.