The Czech Republic’s new and used car industries are quite stable, but compared with countries in Western Europe, they are relatively new and still finding their feet. This means the market is very dynamic and not so reliant on traditional ways of doing business, unlike some of the established markets. The use of the internet for vehicle buying and selling is prevalent.

'Used car buyers, and that means predominantly franchised dealers, are very experienced in online buying,' explains Autorola Czech Republic’s managing director, Rene Buzek. 'They are looking for the right stock and they use the internet very proactively to source vehicles and that often means buying cars from other countries, through Autorola’s cross-border online trading platforms,' he adds.

Not surprisingly there is a strong following for Skoda, both in the used market and typically ex-fleet stock, which is hitting the market between three and five years of age at between €5,000-€7,000 in price.

'Although working from a stable base, the used market can change very rapidly. Up until a few months ago there was a strong demand for used cars with damage. But recently we have seen this begin to change with consumers looking to buy better quality cars that have covered lower distances,' says Mr Buzek.

Some of this stock is being sourced cross-border by trade buyers as typically leasing companies and banks in the Czech Republic will try and dispose of stock directly to the consumer first. As a result, their reputation and profile with these buyers is sometimes a challenge.

'As the leasing sector grows, so the number of used cars coming back off contract will increase, which is why we see the leasing sector providing us with a large growth area. An online remarketing channel can quickly build a vendor’s brand if it offers good stock with the right level of provenance,' says Mr Buzek.

An Autorola online auction lasts between two and four days with or without reserves, depending on a vendor’s appetite to sell and the type of stock for sale. Autorola’s Prague office works closely with other subsidiaries, in particular Austria, to help cope with peaks in demand and to cover off pan-European vendor and seller interest, plus that of OEMs that are just beginning to look at online remarketing more aggressively.

'Autorola is well placed to help leasing companies, finance companies and OEMs to further build their used profile and help them cater for the ever-growing demand from dealers online for used cars. By taking over the entire remarketing process from appraisal and storage to refurbishment and transportation helps them deliver an effective full-service solution.

'Online can also help dealers be more proactive with selling over-age stock which is becoming a problem as dealers push to increase their market share,' says Mr Buzek.