Is this the end of Viabovag?

Last week, viaBOVAG.nl announced that the vehicle inventory on the used car platform has been expanded to include cars without BOVAG warranty. My initial reaction was: why? Why would you discard your only USP for more inventory?

Since the beginning of viaBOVAG.nl, choices have been made that would not be mine. The ‘attack’ on the three major portals, without real expertise, was a big misconception. After all, to become a number three or number two player, you need more than deep pockets for several years. And maybe then you’ll be able to beat the number three.

Different Objective

When viaBOVAG.nl failed to penetrate that top three, the site got a different claim: Preventing the other portals from raising prices, or not much. There was some truth to that, the prices of portals in the Netherlands are considerably lower than those in Belgium and Germany. That’s because we’ve always had multiple portals and not like in Belgium and Germany, a clear number 1 and a smaller number 2. In Germany, the number 1 is called Mobile.de and Autoscout24 is second; in Belgium, Autoscout24 is the market leader and 2dehands.be is second.

The arrival of viaBOVAG.nl has not led to a new ranking and prices have simply increased in recent years due to market forces.

A Barrier That Worked Just Fine!

ViaBOVAG.nl went live with a clear barrier to advertise. It only opened for BOVAG dealers offering exchange guarantee and BOVAG warranty. ViaBOVAG.nl already knew then that they could never be the largest in terms of inventory and/or visitors. What do visitors search for? The largest inventory. And the largest inventory attracts more visitors. Small note: Autowereld.nl might have the largest inventory, but not the most visitors. So, there is a correlation, but not always… However, that was a correct call! There are enough visitors who just want certainty!

If you know you’re not going to get the most visitors and the largest inventory, then you have to be strong somewhere else. You look for a different USP. And let certainty in used car purchases be a hot item for every customer. That certainty could be provided by viaBOVAG.nl with its BOVAG warranty.

Quality Leads

Our statistics at Calldrip show that that USP of viaBOVAG.nl worked. The leads we received through the platform at our Ligier Store Doesburg – Experience Center also showed that while viaBOVAG.nl may have scored less in quantity, the quality was almost always good. The buyers were seekers of certainty!

ViaBOVAG.nl, after Nieuweautokopen.nl, was the second party to dare to ask for a Cost per Lead, which incidentally came at the expense of the URL click to the advertiser’s website, but that’s beside the point. Asking for a Cost per Lead is something you do only if you really want to be vulnerable and have confidence in your quality.

Management Reporting

ViaBOVAG.nl has a very interesting management reporting where good information can be found about the placed advertisements and the associated statistics. Okay, fair, the numbers aren’t always large, but they give a correct picture of how advertisers are doing. In other words, as the youngest platform, they were a clear number 4 in terms of visitors and reach, regardless of what was written in press releases, but what does that matter? In terms of innovations, they were on the right track. As a BOVAG member, I’m happy with a small, specialized, reliable, and proprietary portal that operates in the niche and where I only pay for what I receive.

Putting It Apart

After viaBOVAG.nl was already ‘separated’ by its shareholders, now comes the news that cars without warranty can be advertised on the site. Reason according to the report? Generate more inventory and thus more leads. Visitor numbers don’t change easily, unless you invest millions in marketing. The number of leads will not significantly improve and must now be distributed over more cars. So, in net, the advertiser gets fewer leads. More cars from only BOVAG members do not impact visitor numbers. ViaBOVAG.nl would have been better off staying where it was.

Perhaps Too Dependent on Gaspedaal?

ViaBOVAG.nl is now competing with the other three, hoping that Gaspedaal.nl will still like you. If that paid connection disappears, what remains in terms of visitors? ViaBOVAG.nl has enough knowledgeable members, excluding myself, who could have charted a better course than the one chosen now. By throwing its own unique USP overboard, the site is now competing for crumbs, including with the ANWB, perhaps an even more well-known label than viaBOVAG.nl.

With Nieuweautokopen.nl, we weren’t the largest in visitors or inventory, but the best with quality leads for new cars. It was for us to find that one gap where we could make a difference. ViaBOVAG.nl had such a gap, but now it has lost its differentiating power. Thus, the end may be near.