Marktplaats: 'corona and chip shortage causes run on used cars'

Marktplaats sees that users continue to search eagerly for a used car. Traditionally, the demand for used cars peaks in the spring, but this year the number of searches remains at a sky-high level. The number of responses per ad has not been this high since 2018. And the average asking price for a used car is now 15 percent higher than in 2020.

More than half of used car buyers do not trust the seller

Marketplace research among a thousand potential buyers shows that many people find purchasing a used car exciting. For example, about 55 percent have difficulty trusting the seller. It is therefore not surprising that 70 percent of the respondents say they ask for advice from people around them when buying a car. Almost a quarter know nothing about cars, but pretend to the salesperson.

Brand and appearance are not important to used car buyers

About 85 percent of all car ads on Marktplaats are placed by a car company. The Dutch prefer to buy a second-hand car from a dealer or garage rather than from a private individual. Most important to them is the purchase price, the mileage, the technical condition of the car and the year of manufacture. Strangely enough, they don't think the brand and what the used car looks like is that important.

Marktplaats starts WhatsApp helpline for buying advice used cars

"Since we know that almost 70 percent of Dutch people ask others for advice, we have started a pilot," says Maaike Veeling of Marktplaats. "Together with the editors of Auto Review, we are opening a WhatsApp helpline, where car buyers can get advice during the search and the purchase process. The WhatsApp Auto Assistant can be reached via telephone number 06-85393280."