Carwow has urged dealers to re-stock their forecourts in December to maximise January profit margins, as new data from Brego shows that purchasing November 2024’s best-selling models in December would have delivered an average 7.3% higher margin than waiting until January to buy.
The analysis tracked the top five best-selling vehicles from November 2024 over a three-month period to assess the profitability impact of sourcing this stock early.
James Pollard, Commercial Director at Carwow, said: “This data clearly shows that stock sourcing in December can deliver a real commercial edge. January consistently brings a sharp rise in consumer activity, and we want our dealer partners equipped with the right mix of quality stock as demand builds.
“That’s why we’re keeping our auctions running across the festive period – reflecting our commitment to helping retail partners to hit the ground running in 2026.
“And with our used car advertising solution, dealers can advertise their stock to the millions of in-market buyers who visit our site every month.”
A six-year-old Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge bought in December and sold in January could expect a 7% increase in margin.
A dealer could expect a 4% margin increase on a Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSi SE 5dr of the same age.
Dealers could see a 26% increase in margin on a Ford Ranger Wildtrack 3.2 TDCi auto.
A Ford Fiesta 1.0 Eco ST-Line 3 dr and 1.0 Eco Zetec 5dr could anticipate a 1.1% and 1.5% margin increase, respectively.
Together, these five models delivered 7.3% additional profit, or £755 per vehicle based on a typical six-year-old car selling for £10,340.
Last year, the platform had 15% more consumer enquiries during the last three weeks of December as millions used their Christmas breaks to search online for their next car. Carwow expects this trend to continue this year.
Carwow will continue to run its daily auctions up to and including on 23 December, resuming on 27-31 December and restarting on 2 January. Dealers can advertise their stock on Carwow and Auto Express.