Used car stock availability and vehicle prices continue to be top challenges cited by car dealers for 2022.
New research from WMS Group found that 85% of dealers are concerned over the availability of used car stock and 71% over high pricing. The research is captured in WMS’ new ‘From the Forecourt’ mini-report ‘Adapting to Changing Times.’
Craig Grant, managing director at WMS Group, said: “After more than a year of pandemic disruption, the used car market is soaring – attributed largely to the global shortage of semiconductor chips driving unforeseeable demand for used cars.
“Our latest report finds used car stock availability and pricing far outweighed all other concerns by our dealers, some of which included economic uncertainty (33%), recruitment (19%) and Brexit (10%).
Based on its Dealer Panel research, WMS also found that before the pandemic just 2% of car dealers offered ‘click & collect’ and delivery services.
This rose to 88% in 2021, with the same number of dealers having increased their social media presence as a result of the pandemic, and an increase of 55% of dealers who advertise more on online websites.