Autotrader tops 1m leads as Buying Signals platform evolves

Autotrader has revealed that more than one million customer enquiries have now been enriched with its Buying Signals technology since the tool was launched late last year, as the company outlines further enhancements designed to help retailers identify demand earlier in the buying journey.

The milestone comes as Autotrader continues to invest in the platform as part of its second-half product roadmap, with new capabilities aimed at giving retailers greater visibility of buyer intent before an enquiry is even submitted.

Buying Signals uses Autotrader’s behavioural data, Deal Builder journeys and consumer sign-in experience to provide retailers with a clearer picture of where prospective buyers are in the purchasing process. The technology enables dealers to prioritise enquiries from customers showing the strongest purchase intent, helping improve lead management and conversion rates.

Future developments will extend these capabilities by providing aggregated, anonymised insights into buyer interest at an earlier stage. Autotrader said the enhancements will help retailers make more informed decisions around pricing, stock management and sales priorities, with the first updates expected later this year.

The roadmap has been shaped through Autotrader’s Customer Advisory Groups, launched in April, which bring together 25 franchise and independent retailers to provide direct feedback to the company’s senior leadership team.

The retailer consultations have already resulted in changes to Deal Builder, including the introduction of Reservation Requests, allowing serious buyers to express their interest while giving retailers greater flexibility over how they manage leads and identify their highest-intent customers.

Alongside Buying Signals, Autotrader is also enhancing its Price Indicator tool to offer retailers more flexibility while supporting data-led pricing decisions.

The developments form part of the company’s wider strategy to use its automotive data and artificial intelligence capabilities to improve efficiency across the vehicle buying and selling process. This includes its ChatGPT integration, designed to reach consumers earlier in the purchase journey, and its AI-powered Co-Driver tools, which Autotrader says have already saved the industry the equivalent of more than 20 years of manual administrative work.

“Through our Customer Advisory Groups, we’re able to collaborate directly with partners to shape our roadmap and ensure we’re building solutions that genuinely support their businesses.

“By combining that feedback with the UK’s most robust automotive dataset and technology, we’re enabling retailers to better understand demand, make more confident decisions and ultimately drive stronger performance, while ensuring they have the control and insight they need to maximise performance in a strong and increasingly competitive market.”

Alex Davison, Director at Kesgrave Cars, said the technology had helped the dealership qualify enquiries more effectively.

“Buying Signals have been really powerful when managing our leads,” he said. “They give a clearer picture of what customers have been researching, which helps us qualify enquiries earlier and have more relevant conversations.”

The latest product developments come as the UK automotive retail market continues to show resilience. According to Autotrader, used car prices are recording their strongest year-on-year growth in almost three years, while used electric vehicles have reached a turning point after 40 months of price declines. The company also reported a 35% year-on-year increase in new car leads in recent months, driven by competitive pricing and growing private consumer demand.