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trailer world Issue One 2013

ers. However, we are currently building up substantial offerings from other Western European countries in order to give poten- tial buyers an even wider choice of vehicle. However, you can basically say that there are not really individual national markets in the commercial vehicles sector: it is an international market. How does the business function over long distances: Do potential customers come to visit the items before they buy? This business has a lot to do with trust and personal contact between the seller and buyer. In most cases, firm networks have become established over many years. As a result, it is quite possible for distant selling to take place, without involving a visual in- spection, simply because people trust one another. For example, they pay a deposit and make the remaining payment on col- lection. However, there are also African buyers who travel in person to Western Eu- rope, inspect vehicles and usually buy rela- tively large quantities, frequently on behalf of their own customers. Is it easier to sell a used trailer if you can demonstrate it has high-quality equipment? It certainly is! Each minute of a break- down costs money, therefore quality is in demand. And if you do need spare parts, they have got to be available quickly: Premi- um brands offer the corresponding custom- er service. A local service network and the local spare part situation are always taken into account in the purchase decision, espe- cially with used vehicles. Is it more likely to be large or small compa- nies who advertise with you? That depends on the country. Germany, the Benelux countries and Nordic countries are highly dealership-driven: There, it is generally professional dealerships that have a large offering. In Southern Europe, such as Italy and Spain, the proportion of owner drivers is greater, and mostly they only have one or two vehicles. The further east you go, the smaller the structures get as well. What tips can you give to buyers to enable them to make a successful purchase? As a buyer, you should be clear what vehicle you are looking for, with what specifications, and whether you will have access to spare parts and workshops lo- cally. The best thing to do is to sound out your network regarding who has already had a good experience with which par- ticular seller. Especially when it comes to cross-border purchases, everything should have been sorted out in advance at the purchase location. This also includes finding out in advance which documents will be necessary, so as to avoid trouble with customs or public authorities. … and the sellers? Sellers need to know precisely what doc- uments they require, above all when selling to other countries. The advert should be widely distributed – offering for sale just in your own country in Western Europe does not make much sense. (jg) Philipp Schwenke regards Germany as a worldwide key market for used vehicles. ka AutoScout24 Trucks  AutoScout24 Trucks is a division of AutoScout24 GmbH. Following its foun- dation in Germany more than ten years ago, it has launched six new country sites as well as a site in English over the past years. The website regards itself as Europe’s biggest market for used commercial vehicles, with adverts covering trucks, transporters, construction machinery and caravans. On payment of a fee of as low as 11 Euros, occasional sellers can place adverts, while individual packages are availa- ble for dealerships. It is free of charge to browse the offers. Industry     Issue One 2013  27

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