Unique, dealer-owned used car site becomes consumer facing platform for franchise dealer trade body
Used car website Trusted Dealers (www.trusteddealers.co.uk) is entering into what is being called a ‘game changing’ partnership with the National Franchised Dealer Association (NFDA), which will see the site become the consumer facing website for the sector’s most influential trade body.
Announced today, the deal will see the NDFA take a majority stake in the dealer-owned used car website in a move designed to bolster opportunities for both organisations to promote the consumer benefits of buying from an approved franchised dealer, as well as driving opportunities to increase the Trusted Dealers member base.
Following the deal, Peter Johnson, Chairman of the NFDA will join the board of Trusted Dealers to support the integration of the two organisations, alongside Trusted Dealers Managing Director Neil Addley and founding members Andrew Dyson, Robert Forrester, Peter Jones and Ken Savage.
Trusted Dealers has grown rapidly since its launch in January 2011 and now counts over 50 of the UK’s largest franchised dealer groups as members. It has enjoyed record performance month on month during 2013, with customers seeing their stock profiled to a growing network audience of 1.2 million monthly unique users.
Today’s announcement comes on the back of a run of major commercial partnerships for Trusted Dealers including stock feed agreements with Compucars, Carsite and Used Car Expert. Most recently, in November 2012 it joined forces with What Car? to launch the ‘What Car? Approved Used’ consumer badge. Designed to offer unprecedented peace of mind for buyers, the partnership enables members to use the ‘What Car? Approved Used’ branding across all site listings, as well as within their own dealership and marketing communications.
The National Franchised Dealers Association represents franchised car and commercial vehicle dealers in the UK and lobbies on issues including manufacturer relationships, legislation, used cars, finance, insurance and aftersales. NFDAs’s membership now covers 85% of all dealer networks in the UK.
Trusted Dealers Managing Director, Neil Addley, said:
“This deal marks a game changing opportunity in terms of adding huge industry weight to Trusted Dealers as well as providing the NFDA with a consumer facing site. Trusted Dealers is the safest place to buy a used car and after several months of working together on joint initiatives, it became clear a formal partnership would be an effective way of working to our common goal of campaigning for and benefiting the franchised dealer. This can only benefit our core commercial objective of delivering low cost, quality sales and aftersales leads for our members.”
Sue Robinson, Director of the National Franchised Dealers Association, said:
“This is a tremendous boost for NFDA – it shows the confidence and involvement of the dealer networks in their dedicated trade body. It will raise the ‘consumer facing profile’ for the NFDA and put us on the map.
For more information please contact Simon Baylis or Louise Vaughan at Acceleris Marketing Communications on 0845 4567 251 or email simonb@acceleris-mc.com
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
The Trusted Dealers business model is unique in the motor industry and has brought together potential rivals to open up new markets and develop new sales opportunities. Dealers who want to join the network pay a one-off fee then a small monthly advertising fee - in return they become equal owners of the site as well as receiving customer sales enquiries.
Each partner agrees to a ‘10 Point Difference’ – a quality guarantee that ensures that every car advertised on the site will reach a minimum standard. The 10 points include background checks to ensure that cars haven’t been written off, stolen or clocked.
Keely Scanlan, Press Officer
Tel: 020 7307 3410
Mob: 07825097697
Press Office direct line: 020 7307 3422
Press Office fax: 020 7307 3406
Web: www.rmif.co.uk Email: keely.scanlan@rmif.co.uk
The Retail Motor Industry represents the interests of operators in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man providing sales and services to motorists and businesses. The RMI has a formal association with the independent Scottish Motor Trade Association which represents the retail motor industry in Scotland.
