Vehicles at the click of a button

With numerous online platforms listing a variety of vehicles, finding the ideal truck for the job has never been easier. MARISKA MORRIS takes a closer look

Gone are the days of roaming the city in search of dealerships that stock that very specific model or body type that is ideal for the company. Transport operators can now see what the industry has to offer from the comfort of their air-conditioned office. Companies interested in used vehicles are at an added advantage.

Traditionally, the used-vehicle market is very dispersed with no catalogue or listings featuring the vehicles that are available. Online platforms, like Carfind.co.za, offer transport operators the opportunity to research the specific model, body type and make they want through a simple search, or a quick click of a button.

“Essentially, what Carfind.co.za does is provide a platform for dealers to advertise their stock and for consumers to view vehicles through a detailed filtering system that shows only the relevant results,” says Kevin van Deventer, marketing and insights executive at Carfind.co.za.

The website sets itself apart from other platforms with its truck and trailer showrooms. “The trucks page on Carfind.co.za is built specifically for these vehicles and, as such, allows potential buyers to filter by make and model, which is rather standard when looking for a listing, but it goes beyond that,” Van Deventer explains.

The truck showroom also allows customers to further refine their search by body type, braking systems, driving configuration, gross vehicle mass (GVM), gear box, suspension type and tare maximum. With the body-type filter, for example, transport operators can specifically look for a truck that has a chassis cab, drop side, flat deck, horse, tractor or tanker.

“This allows the potential buyer to effortlessly shortlist exactly what they are looking for,” Van Deventer adds. The platform offers other traditional filters as well, such as price, mileage, location, demo, new or used.

The Carfind platform also allows customers to compare the various vehicles that meet their requirements with each other. When scrolling through the vehicles listed, clients simply click on the “heart” icon at the top of the listing. When all the vehicles are selected, the client can then click on the “comparison” tool button that appears on the right of the listings.

The vehicles can then easily be compared by brand, model, year, price, instalments, location, mileage, service history – and so much more.

“The potential buyer can also then print an e-brochure for each listing in which they may be interested for further analysis. The e-brochure gives the potential buyer detailed information about the dealership, which helps them make an informed decision,” Van Deventer says.

There is also a number of ways the customer can contact the dealership through the platform. Van Deventer concludes: “Once all is said and done, the potential buyer can submit a lead through a number of ways, including completing a traditional ‘form’, sending an email or calling the dealer directly on a unique number that lets the dealer know exactly which vehicle the buyer is calling about.”

Finding the right used vehicle for the application never has to be a hassle again with the right online platform.