How do buyers choose who to buy from?

Put yourself in the shoes of a consumer looking for their next vehicle.  

You’ve decided on what you need from your next vehicle, maybe it’s for a family or you need something with extra capacity for transporting.  

 You’ve been researching to find out what vehicle meets these needs and now you know exactly what made and model you want. 

But what criteria do you use to choose where you buy your next vehicle from? If you’re like most consumers your first port of call will be to look at retailer’s reviews. 

Reviews are the determining factor for many consumers when choosing where to buy from. They are a trusted source of information about a retailer and the buying experience they offer which is why reviews are highlighted on all retailer’s Auto Trader adverts. 

It’s important to note that it’s not just the rating that consumers look for. Responses to reviews, good or bad, are one of the most important factors that consumers look for, after all, a retailer that engages with consumers’ reviews is sure to engage with consumers throughout their buying journey. 

But are reviews really that important? We took to the streets to find out. 

So reviews are clearly massively important to consumers. That’s why we introduced our Highly Rated awards, our annual awards given to those retailers who not only have great reviews but also adhere to best practices when it comes to managing their reviews. 

How you can be Highly Rated on Auto Trader in 2023 

Being Highly Rated on Auto Trader shows that you have demonstrated the key factors in being a trusted retailer. 

To be Highly Rated on Auto Trader, retailers must have: 

· An average overall rating of 4 star and above 

· Enough reviews in proportion to the size of their Auto Trader forecourt 

· Responded to reviews, including both positive and negative 

In July, we will be announcing the retailers who are Highly Rated on Auto Trader in 2023. Those who are Highly Rated will receive digital assets on both full-page ads and Retailer Stores along with stickers to be displayed in dealerships. So now really is the time to be making sure your reviews are up to scratch.