Reservation Requests are now available

We’ve listened to your feedback and Reservation Requests are now available on Autotrader as an alternative to full Reservations. This gives you more flexibility over how you manage leads, while still using Buying Signals to pinpoint your most engaged buyers. 

Last year, we promised to build a reservation tool that better supports retailers whose sales processes don’t always align with an upfront £99 payment. Now, after listening to your feedback, you can choose between Reservation Requests or Full Reservations. It’s all about giving you more flexibility over your leads. 

What are Reservation Requests?

You can now let buyers request a reservation without paying a £99 fee upfront. It’s designed to give you more flexibility to sell your way, while still spotting those high-intent leads. 

How Reservation Requests work for you:

• Stay in control:

  • The car always stays live 

  • The stock status doesn't change 

  • The vehicle won't show as "reservation in progress" 

• Spot the best leads:

  • You’ll still see Buying Signals, so you know exactly who is ready to buy

• Your process, your way:

  • You can contact the buyer directly to agree the next steps that work for your business This gives retailers more flexibility in how they manage buyer enquiries, while still helping identify buyers who are highly interested in a vehicle.

Here’s a reminder of how Reservation Requests work:

Reservation Requests may continue to evolve as we learn from real-world use and retailer feedback.

Why we built Full Reservations with a £99 temporary payment

We developed £99 reservations based on buyer research and your feedback. Today, they’re still the best-performing enquiry we send you. In fact, many retailers convert over 80% of these into a sale.  

Our data shows that 2 in 3 buyers are happy to reserve online. Better yet, 91% of them stop looking at other cars for at least 24 hours after paying. This means you get highly committed buyers who are ready to do a deal. 

Why we’ve introduced Reservation Requests as an option

We know that while many of you see great results from reservations, others prefer to talk to buyers directly first. 

We’ve introduced Reservation Requests based on that feedback. It gives you more choice in how you manage your leads, while still letting you see which buyers are most engaged through  Buying Signals.

Want to activate Reservation Requests?

If Reservation Requests feel like a better fit for your business, speak to your Partnership Manager and they’ll get it set up for you.

Alternatively, you can give us a call on 0345 111 0002.

This update reflects direct retailer feedback and input from our Customer Advisory Groups – ensuring the buying journey continues to work for you. If you’d like to talk anything through further, your Partnership Manager is always available.