Dealer lead volumes up 18% in first week of lockdown, says Ebay Motors

Lead volumes generated by Ebay Motors Group have started the year on a positive trend, increasing 18% year-on-year in the first week of lockdown 3.0.

Weekly data from Ebay Motors Group shows growth of in-bound dealer leads across its platforms are down only slightly on December, when weekly averages consistently tracked at above 20%.

“Our special weekly Market View analysis shows the used car sector getting off to an encouraging start to the year despite the introduction of Lockdown 3 in England and enhanced Covid restrictions across the rest of the UK,” said Marc Robinson, head of external sales at eBay Motors Group.

“We are seeing increased volumes of leads, a likely reflection of the hard work done by dealers across the UK to actively promote their click and collect and delivery services. These moves are sending out a clear message to in-market car buyers that lockdowns do not equate to shutdowns.

“Our data also shows Scotland outperforming the rest of the UK in terms of online search activity, a reflection of it entering its highest tiered restrictions on Boxing Day, over a week before England’s Lockdown 3 was announced, with car buyers having longer to adjust to the new rules. We will continue to track these regional variations and the wider market trends over the coming weeks,” he added.

Emails to dealers continued to be the preferred choice of communication for car buyers, rather than phone calls, a trend eBay Motors Group identified in September 2020.

Vehicle views by price on Motors.co.uk remained on a par with December, although year-on-year searches increased by 11% for vehicles priced between £10,000-£30,000 but dropped 13% for those priced up to £5,000.