Carzam reports record week following dealerships reopening

Online car buying platform Carzam saw its record week of trading in the same week traditional dealerships were allowed to reopen.

Car dealers were included with other non-essential retail, resulting in a major rush as car buyers looked to spend cash saved up over lockdown.

Although Carzam would not release exact figures, saying it was ‘commercially sensitive information’, it reported that the week commencing April 12 was its ‘strongest ever weekly performance since it began trading’.

Kirk O’Callaghan, Carzam CEO, said: “It’s clear that the pandemic has changed customer behaviour for good.

“While it’s terrific to see the automotive sector reopen for business and our colleagues in the industry back at work, our sales have also seen a big boost as the country’s economy opens back up. A huge one, in fact, beating all previous weekly volumes.”

The company added that it believes the increased trust in online car selling platforms is a permanent change, not just brought about by lockdowns where buyers could not visit traditional dealers.

It points to a recent report by online car marketplace Auto Trader, which indicated 41 per cent of buyers expect to buy their next car online, while 61 per cent were open to the idea.

Carzam operates totally online, with every step of the car buying process completed through its website. All its cars are prepared at a central base in Peterborough, with customers able to get home delivery or collect from one of two locations in Corby and London.