Manheim Auction Services has said that it will continue to waive its online car buying fees and offer free vehicle collection as part of its Accelerate package of COVID-19 recovery support.
The remarketing provider said today (April 22) that it would keep all the benefits of Accelerate in place “until further notice” to enable dealers to withstand the effects of lockdown on trade and to recover swiftly.
“Dealers are looking forward to a strong bounce back now that they can reopen their physical premises,” said Liam Quegan, managing director of Manheim Auction Services.
“Our mission is to help ensure they are best placed to take advantage of the resurgent demand for car retail.
“Therefore, though the Accelerate programme was initially designed as a temporary lockdown measure, we are more than happy to extend it as lockdown finally recedes.
“It’s this kind of end-to-end support that – in our view – will really make a difference to automotive businesses during a crucial period.”
Manheim’s sites have now reopened for physical vehicle viewings by appointment but online buying fees will still be waived to ensure retailers are not disadvantaged by an inability to attend sales in-person.
Vehicle collections from auction sites also remain free of charge for traders who book a collection time and observe COVID-19 safety measures.
Manheim will send buyers images of the vehicle prior to collection, allowing marketing activities before it reaches the forecourt.
All buyer account tier reviews are also on hold, ensuring that dealers’ pricing will not increase, regardless of their level of activity.
AM reported today (April 23) that Aston Barclay had seen a surge in demand from traders keen to return to physical auction sales since it reopened its doors on April 12.
Manheim is currently remaining online-only, however, with parent company Cox Automotive offering several connected services with the aim of improving the auction experience for dealers.
These improvements include dedicated customer support, vehicle assurance through Manheim’s SureCheck product, flexible funding via NextGear Capital, and secure vehicle transportation with Movex.
Quegan said: “We now have more than 50 sales taking place every week and thousands of new vehicles arriving at our sites daily.
“It’s our belief that we’re all in this together as an industry, which is why we’re putting our buying power to use to offer dealers competitive pricing, added value and a rounded package of services. This is our contribution to enabling a widespread recovery.”
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