Buyers searching online for used cars remained active in the month of December with online traffic outperforming season norms, reported MOTORS.
Traditionally, the pre-Christmas period is a slow period but significant activity in the final quarter of 2024 has led to MOTORS reporting its highest ever volume of December online traffic.
Lucy Tugby, marketing director of MOTORS, said: “December is always a challenging time for dealers selling used cars.
“However, our analysis of search trends reveals the momentum going into the month was stronger than previous years, despite the ongoing cost of living squeeze.”
Online searches by potential buyers in the fourth quarter of 2024 were higher than the average across the years 2018-2023.
In 2023, the uplift in traffic following Christmas Day was recorded at 38% on Boxing Day. This year, online traffic rose by just 31% on Boxing Day.
Tugby added: “With higher underlying demand in Q4, the coming days and weeks will reveal whether 2025 has got off to a solid start with December’s browsers becoming January’s buyers.
“Used car purchases are increasingly driven by need and affordability, so dealers will be pulling out the stops to ensure they have stock prepped, priced and uploaded to a high standard to give them the best chance of success.”
