There are no more slow sellers”

There are no more slow sellers”

Mr. Vysek, how is business going at the moment? 

We are not dissatisfied, we are in similar pain to everyone else in the industry. Overall, our numbers and the feedback we get from retailers paint a consistent picture. There are currently slight declines in demand and supply is stabilizing. 

Actually also in terms of demand? 

 The fuel price problem has worsened as a result of the Ukraine crisis. There are two types of customers: those who need a car and those who want a car. For the latter, the high price of fuel has sometimes led them to reconsider buying a car. However, there was only a brief dip, but now everything has leveled off again. 

Let's get to the offer. There are delivery difficulties with new cars, which means the used car market is experiencing a boom. What is the current situation on the market? 

The total number of vehicles has fallen and we have around 25 percent fewer goods in the portal than before. The reason: Because of the delivery difficulties for new cars, leased cars are driven longer and do not come onto the used car market as quickly. Traders have to work hard to get goods. So shopping has become more difficult, especially buying at a good price! We also offer more options on our site to support retailers in purchasing. 

What do you experience in practice at dealers? 

Some dealers will no longer sell a car without a trade-in car. There are actually dealers who send customers who want to negotiate the price away in the morning because they know that someone will come along in the afternoon who won't ask for a discount. There are no longer any slow-moving cars - there are hardly any problem cars left standing for 600 days. 

That sounds dramatic...

It's a difficult situation with the long waiting times for new cars. Covid, semiconductor shortages and the war in Ukraine: A lot of negative things come together here - a situation that no one in the industry has ever experienced before. The seats are not yet empty. But we can already see dark clouds approaching us with a shortage of supply. 

When and how will the turning point come?

A recovery among car manufacturers will bring about a turnaround. The only question is when exactly that will be. 

Used car prices have recently gone through the roof, which you won't get anything from at AutoScout24 or machtwagen.at. But how do you assess the development?

The AutoScout24 used car price index (AGPI) shows that prices have recently climbed to an all-time high: at 25,749 euros, the average price is 14 percent higher than the previous year. However, the rapid price increase has recently slowed down: there were no major increases in March compared to the previous month. But this is not yet a trend reversal. As long as inventory falls, prices will tend to remain high or even rise. 
 

How is the used electric car business going?

This is currently exploding. The trigger is obviously the high oil price, which means that demand experiences a boost - by 48 percent from February to March! But there are no goods. Sometimes this results in crazy prices – e.g. B. in seven-year-old electric cars, where no one really knows how long the battery will last. 

How many dealers do you have under contract?

In Austria, around 2,800 retailers use our portals, which is around 85 percent of the market. And I have to say one thing: the dealers really do a lot. You have had difficult times with constantly new Corona regulations. They mastered this brilliantly and showed how innovative and flexible the industry is.