Check Out Our New TraderTraxx App

Love TraderTraxx? Now you have the power to access everything you know and love about TraderTraxx in a new way with our app. Not familiar with TraderTraxx? No problem - we’ll break it down for you.

TraderTraxx is a completely free platform for Cycle Trader customers - that’s right, we said free. It’s included in your membership and it provides in-depth reporting to give you a clear picture of how your inventory is performing, insight into what Cycle shoppers are looking for and gives you the ability to manage your listings.

TraderTraxx also provides two amazing tools you should be taking advantage of, the Price Analysis Tool (P.A.T.) and Market Insights. P.A.T. gives you the power to easily pinpoint the optimal price in your local marketplace, as well as nationwide for your listings based on their make, model and year - taking the hassle out of manual research. P.A.T. also helps you understand if you are priced competitively in your local marketplace, as well as nationwide.

The second tool TraderTraxx provides is Market Insights. Market Insights is made up of three individual reports each designed to give you a better picture of the supply and demand for your inventory locally and nationwide, and also lets you check in on what units are piquing customer interest. Within each report, you have the ability to view the top model years for each unit and how many are available on CycleTrader.com.

Pretty amazing, right?

We think so too, and we’re excited to be able to offer all of the great things you are already familiar with plus some new features in our new easy-to-use app like:

• The option to add, remove, edit, and take pictures and videos of your listings without an internet connection, and then sync up later when you get back online. 
• The ability to turn on push notifications so you can reach out to that interested buyer right away - don't worry, you can toggle this on or off when you need to. 
• Lastly, you can listen to phone calls and reply to emails from within the app, giving you the ability to reply to your potential buyer right away. 

The app is currently available for iOS & Android users today!

Top Searched Makes and Models for Q2 2018

Keeping you in the know is important to us, especially when it comes to the latest industry news and consumer trends, and in Q2 2018, we saw some interesting data. We’ll catch you up on the makes and models Cycle Trader consumers were searching for in the second quarter of 2018. Let’s break them down.

Top 5 searched models of Q2 2018: 

• Dirt Bike 
• Trike 
• Sportbike 
• Cruiser 
• Scooter 

Dirt Bikes took the top spot in Q2 2018 as the most searched model with 14% of total consumer searches. Trikes came in second place and resulted in 12% of all searches, while Sportbikes came in a close third at 12%. In fourth place at 10%, Cruisers are slightly down from last quarter, but we continue to see them rank in the top five searched models. Scooters came in fifth place, with more than 8% of total searches on Cycle Trader. We are eager to see how this data might change as we are still in the thick of buying season.

Top 5 searched makes of Q2 2018: 

• Harley-Davidson 
• Honda 
• Yamaha 
• Kawasaki 
• Suzuki 

Harley-Davidson remains in the top spot for most searched makes in Q2 2018 with 21% of total searches (that’s more than seven million consumers searching for the manufacturer). Honda comes in a close second with 17% and Yamaha rounds out third place with 11% of total searches. Kawasaki comes in fourth with 8% and Suzuki takes fifth coming in at 7% of total searches on Cycle Trader. The rankings of the top makes this quarter remains comparable to last quarter - it looks like consumers are staying consistent.

As the year progresses we’re interested to see how these numbers might change. Let us know how our findings compare to consumer interest at your dealership and drop us a line in the comments below.

A Guide to Making Your Listing Photos Great

The buying process for nearly everything has changed over the past few decades. With the consistent growth and evolution of technology, online research has become increasingly important to buyers when they make a purchase - large or small. Having top-notch photos is crucial to get more eyes on your listings. Check out these 8 easy tips that will make sure your photos paint a clear picture for potential buyers.

1. Make it Shine - Make sure the unit you're selling (new or used) is clean. Buyers want to see their potential bike in tip-top condition, so make sure you give the unit a detailed wash before putting it out on the floor or your lot. Sponges and brushes are great for the intricate details of a bike, and they remove dirt and grime with ease.

2. Use the Right Camera - Are you using a camera that produces high-quality photos? If not, you’ll want to make sure your camera is fairly recent so your photos are clear and not grainy. Most smartphones have amazing cameras, which is a great option that won’t require you to purchase a new camera, but if you’re wanting to take your photos to the next level, consider investing in a new point and shoot model. Most newer point and shoots are very easy to use and take crystal clear photos. It’s also a good idea to get an extra memory card with your camera to make sure you have enough storage for all of your listing photos.

3. Shoot at the Right Time of Day - Lighting is important when it comes to taking photos, so you’ll want to keep in mind the time of day you choose to shoot. Avoid taking listing photos midday when the lighting is harsh, and instead, opt to take photos in the morning or late afternoon where the lighting is “warmer” and less likely to wash out your photos. Cloudy days can also be great photoshoot days, but make sure it’s not too dark and avoid taking photos at night where flash would be required.

4. Keep in Mind Positioning and Location - When taking listing photos, you’ll want to keep in mind where you’re positioning the bike. It’s important that the one bike you are trying to sell is the focal point of your shot - you don’t want to confuse potential buyers by having multiple bikes in the photo or in the background.

5. Take a Few Test Photos - It’s important to take your time while shooting your listing photos, as they are a crucial part of your entire listing. Take a few test photos of your unit to make sure the lighting is right, the camera is clear, and that you are satisfied with the outcome. If you aren’t pleased with the photos you can take a step back and see what might need to change to enhance your photo (positioning, lighting, etc.).

6. Have a Variety of Photos - We cannot stress this enough - take a lot of photos. Buyers want to see every angle of the bike before walking into the dealership so they can visually picture themselves on a new ride. Take a few full shots (showing the whole bike) as well as detailed, close-up shots. We suggest having a full bike shot as your main listing photo to grab the customer’s attention right off the bat, then they can explore more photo options as desired.

7. Be Honest and Authentic - For our used sellers out there, it’s extremely important to be honest to your customers. Don’t hide the imperfections of the bike you are trying to sell. If the unit has a few dings or scratches, consumers deserve to know - they really don’t want to be surprised when they come to view the unit in-person. As for new units, it’s also a good idea to stay away from using stock photos of your unit - consumers appreciate authentic photos.

8. Highlight Special Features - Does the bike you’re selling have any special features? Make sure you are highlighting them in both your listing photos AND descriptions. As we mentioned earlier, consumers want to picture themselves on the bike, and showing them unique features will have a higher chance of piquing their interest.

We hope that these 8 tips have helped you realize taking listing photos doesn’t have to be difficult. Getting the right photo takes some practice, but your buyers will thank you in the end. If you need additional help creating a description for your listing, click here.