Get In Early and Now… the Market Won’t Wait for You!

November was the strongest November for CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) sales – ever! This continues a string of records in the CPO market, including the best October ever last month, according to Autodata.¹ And what we are seeing at SureSale reflects this surge, with the new category of certified vehicles that SureSale covers (the millions of vehicles that fall outside the OEM CPO programs: with mileage up to 150K miles and up to 15 years of age) becoming increasingly popular with car buyers. In fact, dealers who are certifying longer life vehicles are reporting turn rates that are over 60% faster than that of the average used vehicle and an additional 23% or $2,300 per-vehicle gross on average! ²

We believe that this is all truly great news for dealers. But, because this category is relatively new, some dealers are reluctant to jump in, worrying that the quality assurance and warranties (not to mention the inventory sourcing), will create multiple, insurmountable headaches. And, at first look, the task of certifying and sourcing a diverse variety of vehicles - not to mention marketing them to target certified vehicle shoppers - looks to be a daunting task for a dealership of any size.

It doesn’t have to be. 

New Turnkey Certified Platforms

We developed our SureSale program to be as turnkey as a certification program can possibly be. And I am pleased to report that we have just taken the ease of the program several steps further with the launch of new mobile and online platforms, including the SureSale Marketplace, the first and only to specifically target shoppers who are looking for the assurance of (and who are willing to pay a premium for) a certified used vehicle.

In addition to the marketplace, which offers dealers instant access to an expanded online audience of certified vehicle shoppers, our new technology platforms enable dealers to easily purchase quality used inventory from private sellers; certify vehicles ‘on the go’ with a mobile app, and add a free dealer-branded SureSale Certified microsite to their marketing mix. And, to top it off, the platform provides dealers with increased autonomy with ‘on demand’ certification, meaning dealers can market inventory as SureSale ‘Eligible,’ certifying only when they receive a consumer’s request. 

Test the Waters

The market for longer life, higher mileage certified used vehicles is only going to grow and if your dealership is not yet participating, you are missing a major revenue opportunity. We understand that this is new territory, so for those dealerships that want to just test the certified waters, we are offering fast, easy and FREE express publishing of eligible-to-be-certified inventory on our new SureSale Marketplace. All it takes is a few minutes – simply register at www.suresale.com to activate your free account and SureSale does the rest - your eligible used inventory will be automatically published and listed as eligible-to-be-certified. If a consumer expresses interest in one of your vehicles, and asks for certification, it is up to you if you want to move forward. You are in control!

What Are You Waiting For?

Participating dealers are already receiving multiple leads and selling vehicles through the marketplace. It is a great way to get started and it doesn’t cost a cent – once you are in, and moving vehicles, we are convinced you will see the benefits of our comprehensive certification program. So get into this booming new market for longer life, high mileage certified used vehicles -- early, easily and now!

To stay current on the CPO industry and all things SureSale, go to www.jeffreyschwartz.com or follow us on Twitter or Facebook.

[1] http://www.autoremarketing.com/trends/autodata-gauges-historic-full-year-cpo-level

[2] Based on analysis of SureSale vehicles' sale price + addl. VSC revenue averages (all SureSale vehicles 5 yrs and older sold March-May 2012) compared to averages on similar vehicles (Y/M/M) from KBB suggested values (average of wholesale + 'as-is' + retail pricing).