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Merchandising used inventory so it doesn't just sit there
Two identical trades, priced the same. One sells in a week. The other sits for two months. The difference is almost never the car.
Two identical trades, same year, same kilometres, priced the same. One sells in a week. The other sits for two months. The difference is almost never the car. It is how the car is shown.
The listing is the first test drive
Most used shoppers decide whether to visit from the listing alone. If the photos are dark, the description is a list of option codes and the history report is missing, they move on — and that unit starts ageing.
The merchandising checklist
Every used unit should have, before it goes live:
- 25 to 40 real photos in the same order: exterior walkaround, interior, cargo, dash showing kilometres, tires, and any flaws.
- A history report link (like CarFax) right on the page.
- A photo of the window sticker or inspection sheet.
- Two sentences a person wrote about the vehicle: who it suits and why it is a good one.
- The price, clearly shown.
A missing history report reads like something to hide.
Speed to the lot matters
Every day a trade sits waiting for recon or photos is a day it is not for sale. Set a target for how fast a trade goes from appraisal to fully merchandised online — and track it. The best stores treat this as a production line with a daily check.
Day 30, not day 60
Most stores wait too long to act on ageing units. At day 30, review every unit that has not sold:
- Are the photos and description as good as the checklist above?
- How many views and leads has it had compared to similar units?
- Is the price in line with the market right now?
If it is getting views but no leads, the listing or price is the problem. If it is getting no views, it is not showing up in search — check the photos, the title and where it is syndicated. Re-merchandise or reprice at day 30, and the day-60 problem mostly goes away.
Feature it, do not hide it
Put ageing units to work: a short walkaround video, a feature in your weekly email, a Marketplace post, a "just reduced" Google Business Profile post. See your vehicle detail page is the real homepage for how to make the page itself convert.