Auto Trader To Partner With Trusted Dealers

Auto Trader, the leading digital automotive marketplace, has today announced its new partnership with Trusted Dealers, the brand operating under the umbrella of the NFDA (National Franchised Dealers Association). The move represents another step in Auto Trader's on-going drive to help retailers improve trust among buyers, to channel more business to the best companies and to enhance the overall reputation of the retail motor industry.

Key to the partnership will be the development of a new, fully-optimised website for the Trusted Dealers brand and cross-placement of stock on the Auto Trader and Trusted Dealer websites.

"We know consumers demand transparency online, whatever they buy," commented Jason Biffin, Auto Trader's Consumer Marketplace Director. "They also look to purchase from trusted companies. Partnering with a brand like Trusted Dealers is a perfect fit for Auto Trader because we know our reputation among car buyers is already strong. In areas like valuation accuracy, for example, we are the most trusted source of information for consumers – so it makes sense to partner with a trusted dealer network.

"Trusted Dealers is important because it embraces those in the franchise network and offers consumers immediate peace of mind. The partnership will allow Trusted Dealers to be promoted on the Auto Trader marketplace bringing a wider consumer audience to the brand, as well as helping those with less confidencechoose a dealer in which they know they can trust."

Sue Robinson, Director NFDA, added "We are very excited at the potential of Auto Trader promoting trusted, franchised, dealers to the widest consumer marketplace. The team at Trusted Dealers have worked hard with the NFDA to establish the website and standards to underpin the 10 Points of Difference as well as generate leads into our members: it will be great to see these gain additional publicity."

As the UK's largest digital automotive marketplace for new and used vehicles, Auto Trader has a role to play in driving trust and improving the reputation of the retail sector. Since last year for example,all cars that have been subject to a category C or D insurance write-off have displayed a warning on the site. This takes the form of a yellow circular icon, displaying either the letter C or D, and brings greater transparency for buyers by automating the process for dealers advertising stock.

Auto Trader has also assigned a team to tackle complaints regarding misleading advertisements. Focusing particularly on price and mileage, misleading advertisements are automatically removed while advertisers are directed to guidance on the site concerning the regulatory framework on misleading advertisements, as well as also Auto Trader's own standards expected of advertisers. Repeat offenders are removed from the site.

"We have a responsibility to help consumers make informed decisions and to set standards in the industry," added Biffin. "True and accurate descriptions are a key part of this process and we will continue to take positive steps by helping retailers and consumers to advertise their vehicles in a true and accurate way."

Ends

For all trade media enquiries, please contact:

Nigel Wonnacott, PR Director at JJ Marketing, on 07802 483 971 or nigel.wonnacott@jjmarketing.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

About Auto Trader:

Auto Trader Group plc is a 100% digital business having successfully completed the transition from a print title in 2013. Auto Trader sits at the heart of the UK's vehicle buying process and operates the UK's largest digital automotive marketplace.

Auto Trader's primary activity is to help vehicle retailers compete effectively on the Marketplace in order to sell more vehicles, faster. The Marketplace brings together the largest and most engaged consumer audience. Autotrader.co.uk attracts around 44.5 million monthly cross-platform visits on its sites, with around 68% of visits coming through mobile devices, with the largest pool of vehicle sellers (listing more than 400,000 cars each day). In fact over 80% of all time spent on classified sites is spent on Auto Trader. The Group does not buy or sell any vehicles itself.

Auto Trader has around 92% prompted brand awareness in the UK, with 80% of UK retailer forecourts advertising via the website and around 65% of UK used car transactions involving cars listed on autotrader.co.uk.

Auto Trader's market-leading position enables it to generate and collect large amounts of data on the UK's automotive marketplace and leverage it to create a suite of services that allow retailers to:

• BUY – buy the right vehicles, at the right price
• MARKET - market their brands and businesses effectively in the digital world
• SELL- sell more vehicles through advertising on the UK's largest digital automotive marketplace
• MANAGE – optimise their stock turn and vehicle margin.

For more information please visit http://about-us.autotrader.co.uk/

About NFDA Trusted Dealers:

• The National Franchised Dealers Association represents franchised car and commercial vehicle dealers in the UK and lobbies on issues including manufacturer relationships, legislation, used cars, finance, insurance and after-sales. The NFDA's membership now covers 85% of all dealer networks in the UK.
• In May 2013 the NFDA took a majority stake in Trusted Dealers, which became the trade body's first consumer-facing website. The move bolstered scope for both organisations to promote the benefits of using approved franchised dealers, as well as driving opportunities to increase the Trusted Dealers member base – which includes 900 of the UK's largest used car dealers.

For ore information please visit www.trusteddealers.co.uk