BCA has extended its highly successful internet-based selling platform LiveOnline to the wider LCV market featuring commercials direct from LeasePlan, BT Fleet and Peugeot.

For the first time, commercial vehicles from multiple vendors in the fleet, contract hire and lease sector have been sold using this state of the art technology.

Sales are initially taking place fortnightly at BCA Blackbushe – Europe’s largest weekly LCV sale in Europe’s largest auction centre – before rolling out to other locations in the BCA network.

Previously, BCA has sold low-mileage LCVs in its LiveOnline manufacturer sales programme and earlier this year, began a programme of LiveOnline sales with Lombard at the Newport centre.

With the broader range of product from multiple vendors, BCA has dealt with the issue of buyer confidence in remote bidding over the internet.

The product profile of used commercials from lease and contract hire sources is typically 30 months and 60,000 miles, meaning condition is critical.

To address this, BCA has introduced a strict grading system, which dovetails with the lease-end inspection process.

The BCA grading is based on the cost to refurbish the vehicle to lease-end standard where Grade 1 is £0 and Grade 6 is £1,000 plus.

This means online buyers have all the information they need to properly assess each vehicle and bid with confidence.

LeasePlan’s LCV Remarketing Manager Rob Mylchreest commented: “LiveOnline adds another dimension to our commercial sales programme with BCA.

“The grading system deals with any buyer concerns up-front and the extra buying power is assisting market values.

“LiveOnline gives more opportunity to the regional LeasePlan buyers to buy our stock nationally.”

Colin Moore of BT Fleet added: “BCA’s technology is robust and transparent both for online buyers and those in the auction hall and we have received positive feedback from the buyers who participated in this sale.”

Con McLaughlin, used vehicle remarketing manager of Peugeot Used Vehicles, said: “BCA’s LiveOnline is a proven platform for selling our cars. BCA has applied this technology sensibly to the commercial vehicle market and maintained buyer confidence at the same time, which is crucial to the success of the programme.”

Duncan Ward, BCA’s UK business development manager – commercial vehicles, added: “Our extensive customer research programme shows many buyers were sceptical about buying commercials online.

“Our aim is to generate buyer confidence by only offering LCVs from pedigree sources, professionally inspected and then accurately catalogued for internet bidders.”