The percentage of ex-fleet cars and vans disposed of online by Arval has doubled in the past 18 months, the company says.

In mid-2016, around 32% of its vehicles were sold online through its Motortrade platform but, by the end of last year, this had increased to nearly 60%.

Stuart Chamberlain, remarketing manager, said: “The rate of change has been quite breathtaking and has meant a genuine shift in the way we handle remarketing at Arval.

“When you consider that we didn’t sell our first car online until 2010, it shows the complete transformation that we have seen in fleet disposal, especially when you consider that the overall volume of vehicles we sell has itself doubled in the same time frame.”

He believes that the move towards online sales had been driven by both Arval and traders but in both instances, the advantages were very similar.

“It is all about fast, accurate and low cost methods of buying and selling cars and vans,” he said. “We are able to reach more buyers directly, to sell vehicles more rapidly and to spend less doing so.

“Similarly, buyers can come to us for a huge choice of cars, buy them quickly and easily and have them for sale on their website or showroom in a very short time.”

Many UK dealers are already registered with Motortrade giving them first choice of Arval vehicles and the number is growing all the time. The benefits of the platform for these dealers include: 

• Full mix of vehicles covering a range of makes, models, ages and engine types
• Cars and vans are available
• More than 1,000 vehicles added every week
• Several ways to buy including online auction and ‘buy-it-now’
• Lower buying fees than a traditional auction
• Available 24/7
• App version available for mobile devices
• Account management support available to help dealers

Worldwide, Arval’s own Motortrade platform had now been used to sell more than two million vehicles, said Chamberlain. “This is not just a UK or European phenomenon but a shift in the manner of selling ex-fleet cars that is happening in 29 countries around the world in which Arval operates.

“We still use traditional auctions for some vehicles, notably specialised commercial vehicles, but we expect the trend towards using more and more online to increase.”