The landscape of online used car sales in the UK is shifting gears as Motors marketplace announces its strategic relaunch of Cazoo as its flagship brand. Aiming squarely at market leader Auto Trader, Motors relaunches Cazoo as a used car marketplace designed to redefine the car buying experience for both dealers and customers.
Why the Cazoo Relaunch is Big News
Launched initially as a high-profile disruptor, Cazoo hit a few bumps, eventually entering administration in May 2024. Motors acquired Cazoo shortly thereafter, betting on its significant brand recognition—built through aggressive TV advertising, digital marketing, and prominent sports sponsorships, including partnerships with Premier League teams like Aston Villa and Everton, and the PDC World Darts Championship.
The fresh Cazoo relaunch sees it reborn as an online marketplace, already boasting impressive early adoption, with its mobile app having accumulated over 400,000 downloads since July last year. Barry Judge, CEO of Motors, emphasised this point: “For the first time, there is a real challenger brand in the sector giving dealers more choice and a credible alternative for their vehicle advertising.”
A New, Dealer-Centric Marketplace
Motors’ relaunch of Cazoo involves far more than a mere facelift. It’s a thorough reinvention, combining Motors’ extensive 17-year sector experience with advanced technological tools to better serve dealers and car buyers alike. Judge highlights this approach, stressing that the new Cazoo website was created “from a clean sheet” with enhanced functionality, promising to significantly boost consumer leads directly to dealers.
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Free Multisite Advertising with Cazoo Marketplace Launch
One especially dealer-friendly aspect of the launch is Motors’ decision to include Cazoo as part of its existing multisite advertising packages—entirely free during the initial launch phase. This innovative step enables more than 5,000 dealers across the Motors marketplace to trial the new platform risk-free, enhancing stock visibility and offering buyers immediate access to a diverse range of used vehicles.
Motors plans continuous development, with updates to the Cazoo site, app, and tools in the pipeline. This demonstrates their commitment to sustainable growth and ongoing support for dealer partners. This focused development strategy aims to improve lead generation and deliver tangible value for dealers, ultimately positioning Cazoo as a robust Auto Trader competitor.
Aiming for Market Leadership
The Cazoo online car buying platform UK initiative represents Motors’ significant step toward reshaping the competitive landscape. Judge points out that the average car buyer typically browses at least four motor trade websites during their purchase journey. Leveraging Cazoo’s powerful brand recognition within the Motors network enables the company to supercharge its market visibility, thus providing an attractive and competitive alternative to existing platforms.
What the Future Holds
Motors is committed to further enhancements and continuous marketing investments, designed explicitly to maximise audience reach and dealer engagement. This bold strategic direction clearly positions Cazoo as not just an alternative but a serious contender aiming directly at market leader Auto Trader.
Ultimately, with its innovative dealer-focused features, consumer-friendly design, and robust brand presence, the Motors marketplace could give Autotrader a run for its money. Though that would take quite a shift in how many motorists currently buy and sell cars online in the UK.
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