Jump to content

Auto Trader Group

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jpswade (talk | contribs) at 22:14, 29 January 2015 (Undid revision 644758484 by 151.225.235.211 (talk) This page is about Auto Trader UK). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article is about British Auto Trader website. For the television programme shown on the Discovery Channel in the UK, see Auto Trader (Television Programme).
Auto Trader
Company typePrivate
IndustryAutomotive trading via Internet and mobile
Founded1975
FounderJohn Madejski, Paul Gibbons
Headquarters
Manchester
,
United Kingdom
Number of locations
3
Area served
United Kingdom, Ireland,
Key people
Trevor Mather (CEO)
ProductsVehicle advertisements.
OwnerApax Partners
Number of employees
950
Websitewww.autotrader.co.uk

Auto Trader is an automotive classified website located in the United Kingdom, owned by Trader Media Group. It specialises in new and second hand automotive sales, including cars sold by private sellers and trade dealers.

Background

Main article: Trader Media Group

The founder of Auto Trader in the United Kingdom was John Madejski in 1975, who went on to take over Reading Football Club in 1991. The 'Auto Trader Concept' was founded in America. John Madejski brought this idea back from the USA, and set up Hurst Publishing with Paul Gibbons in 1977.

The first Auto Trader to be established was Hurst's Thames Valley Trader in 1977. This was followed by the publication of a second title, Southern Auto Trader, which launched in 1981. Guardian Media Group approached Hurst, with intentions of launching similar titles in the North of England, rather than competing head to head. Gradually, a group of classified advertising titles evolved that were either wholly owned by Hurst or by Guardian Media Group, or jointly owned by the two organisations. In July 1998, the two partners in Hurst sold part of their business to the specialist European venture capitalists BC Partners, who approached Guardian Media Group and proposed a merger to form a new company. Trader Media Group was launched in May 2000.

In 2014 the company rebranded and is now known as Auto Trader UK

Printed magazine

The magazine was published weekly in a number of regional editions. Circulation peaked at 368,000 in January 2000, dropping to an average of 87,000 copies a week in 2012,[1] and down to 27,000 in March 2013.[2]

In June 2013, after 36 years, the final editions of the printed magazine were published, with the company concentrating on its online business.[3]

Website

Autotrader.co.uk was launched in 1996 allowing users to buy or sell a car online. The site allows users to search for cars and other motor vehicles using their postcode. Autotrader.co.uk the UK's busiest automotive web site which attracts some 10.3 million[4] unique users per month.

In September 2009 Auto Trader overhauled their website. Some of the changes received a negative response from consumers and so since then the website has been undergoing a programme of continuous improvement, becoming more straight forward and focussing on tools for buying and selling cars rather than on editorial content. Auto Trader has used their own consumer feedback on the site to shape the changes they made.

Mobile

Auto Trader has had a mobile (WAP) site since 2002.[5] In July 2008 Auto Trader launched a .mobi site[6] and in July 2009 they launched separate versions[6] for differing handset capability levels. Auto Trader developed their mobile offering further in March 2010 when they released an app[7] making it easier for users to search for cars on their iPhone or iPod touch. Further releases now cover android and iPad devises

References

  1. ^ Rushton, Katherine (1 July 2012). "Auto Trader to be axed". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  2. ^ Clancy, Rebecca (7 May 2013). "Auto Trader print edition to stop as focus shifts to digital". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  3. ^ http://www.tradermediagroup.com/media/59694/auto-trader-digital-transition-070513.pdf
  4. ^ http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/news/1826695/autotrader-web-site-switches-linux
  5. ^ http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/831892/Digital-Auto-Trader-eyes-WAP-site-revamp/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH
  6. ^ a b http://www.mobileindustryreview.com/2008/07/autotrader_to_revamp_its_mobile_site.html
  7. ^ http://www.techdigest.tv/2010/03/auto-trader_app.html
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Auto_Trader_Group&oldid=644758793"