The European vehicle market is currently facing complex challenges, combining economic uncertainty, rising vehicle prices and increasingly demanding customers. Dealers are grappling with a number of issues – how to manage rising costs, adapt their offerings to purchasing power and keep up with the rapid development of new technologies. Finding innovative solutions to optimise procurement is also becoming crucial, as traditional approaches often no longer meet the needs of a globalised market.
Regarding all of the above, we spoke with Matjaž Križnar, business director of Preskok d.o.o., which has been creating trends in the field of vehicle procurement for 21 years.
What are the key trends in vehicle procurement in Europe?
There is currently a debate in Europe about finding the right and least painful path to achieving carbon neutrality commitments, which is partly due to uncertainty about what will be available on the retail price lists of European manufacturers. This transition will not be cheap for anyone, neither for manufacturers nor for buyers, as limited purchasing power does not keep up with the price increases of new vehicles. This is why used vehicles remain an important part of the market, as they are considered a sensible purchase.
At the same time, there is a lot of talk about the arrival of Chinese brands, which are preparing for an aggressive price entry into Europe. Whether this will replace used vehicles is not a simple question. However, despite everything, the used vehicle market will remain and develop, but also change.
Online sales are changing the used vehicle trade. Many major players (OEM, Leasing, major retail chains) are building their own B2B platforms, digital marketplaces, which act as intermediaries between providers and buyers. A new growing industry is also the collection and processing of data on sales trends and prices of used vehicles using artificial intelligence, which helps in processing information from the market and making faster and better decisions. Although there are not many of these providers yet, these tools are increasingly important and valued “colleagues” in the used vehicle trade. That is why Preskok has been working in this segment for a long time and is developing it as a priority.
The largest markets are also subject to major consolidations, takeovers, mergers and partnerships, as the required investments in advertising and market acquisitions and technological solutions are too large for individual players. I have in mind our partners, the largest used car dealers, who sell 20,000 or 30,000 used cars annually through the B2C channel. On the other hand, B2B platforms are connecting, striving to optimize sales prices and find the most profitable markets on a global level. The question is which of these vehicles will remain in Europe and which will be sold to the rapidly growing markets of Africa, the Middle East and the Far East. Finding sources of supply in the traditional way will therefore become increasingly difficult.
All of these are topics that we actively follow and co-create at Preskok.
How does Preskok work on the international level of vehicle procurement?
Preskok is the largest specialized platform for B2B vehicle sales in the wider region of Central and Eastern Europe, and is also ranked at the very top of such independent platforms on the European market. Preskok’s business goes back 21 years, in recent years we have sold 10,000 and more vehicles annually. We trade with almost all well-known European vehicle brands and in 20+ markets, mainly within the EU. We ensure accelerated monetization and inventory turnover on the part of suppliers and buyers, while ensuring security, transparency and a high level of trust.
Our main competitive advantages are knowledge of products, markets, extensive purchasing and sales network, financial strength and our own technological development, which, using the latest technologies and analytical tools, enables us to make quick decisions and automate internal processes. Our partners include multinationals, regional importers, rent-a-car companies, large retail groups as well as local vehicle dealers, as our broad approach achieves optimal vehicle inventory redistribution and optimizes added value for all stakeholders.
What is Preskok’s vision for the future of vehicle trading?
Preskok wants to become the place where buyers and suppliers will most likely turn to for purchases, information or services. We want to become a platform for marketing vehicles and technologies that are necessary for fast and efficient marketing. Classic e-mail offers with a superficial description of the vehicle and a “written” brokerage commission are a distant past for us.
Today, the seller must demonstrate the added value of his offer and offer the buyer (B2B or B2C) the best sales and after-sales user experience. Buyers are looking for providers where they can most often and easily find exactly what they are looking for. They need to feel safe, both in terms of the reliability of the presented offer and data, comparability of price competitiveness, financial security of vehicle delivery and after-sales service. The globalized market and the development of artificial intelligence dictate changes, so our intention is to optimize internal processes using the latest technologies to provide the best customer services, which primarily enable fast, correct decisions and quality after-sales service. The expected growth in vehicle sales is a result of our plans and expectations are not modest.
Preskop is also a driving force for other projects in our ecosystem, within which we develop value-added solutions and tools as part of our vision of using the latest technologies.
Where do you see opportunities for improving the business of used car dealers?
I dare say that purchasing is at least as important, if not more important, than selling. Many will argue with me here, saying that we already have access to auctions and buy vehicles on the local market from end users. Here I can only return to thinking about how it was done in the past and what the future requires.
Just a few questions to think about:
Have you ever made a mistake when purchasing a vehicle that now means your vehicle is sitting in a parking lot?
Have you ever thought that there is a dealer who is looking for the same vehicle, but you don’t know him (yet)?
Are you wondering how to connect into a dealer cluster, expand cooperation and increase inventory turnover?
Do you have a customer who is looking for a specific vehicle that you don’t have in stock?
Would you like to increase the selection of your inventory, but do not have enough financial resources?
One of the local solutions that answers the challenges written in the questions is the Trading hub of the company AutoBrief, which also offers excellent other technical and sales services to achieve your plan and optimize the use of resources. Preskok offers AutoBrief a guarantee of good procurement, implementation and after-sales service as well as financial and technological support.
How does Preskok together with AutoBrief help optimize purchasing costs without compromising on quality?
AutoBrief is a platform that has become an established regional partner for vehicle sales support services and accelerated processes and sales with more than 300+ active B2C vehicle dealer accounts. Preskok, on the other hand, is an established B2B platform for optimizing inventory, especially for newer vehicles (+10,000 vehicles per year) and has a procurement reach that we are also upgrading for vehicles that would suit local markets (Ex YU). It is completely logical and natural to combine synergies and offer our market what we see that the dealer needs in one tool. By combining, we can only be stronger.
It is imperative to be aware that the cost of procurement is not only the purchase price of goods, but all costs related to procurement and, above all, the time required, which could be used for other purposes. This cost can be optimized with a tool that, in addition to supporting your business, provides you with a wide and regular supply of vehicles. In a simple and transparent way, it helps you save on the time and costs that you have had so far with searching for offers, obtaining data and analyzing and comparing offers, establishing and maintaining purchasing contacts, risk assessments, organizing transport and logistics, financing, entering inventory into systems … and it also instantly opens up access to vehicles and procurement channels that you may not have had access to.
And if, in addition to the above for competitive and transparent compensation, the tool also provides you with the necessary and credible data in one place for faster purchasing decisions, then in our opinion this is a huge added value.
Do you think AutoBrief Trading Hub is a solution for small or large vehicle dealers?
We would not like to limit ourselves to just one segment of dealers. As mentioned, our existing partners are both multinationals and regional and local players, who are primarily abroad, where we do over 98% of our sales. For AutoBrief and their network of B2C vehicle dealers, we regularly upgrade the solution called Trading hub with local specifics and needs. Our intention is to create conditions for cooperation that are in the interest of the automotive market in the broadest sense, as this is the only correct partnership approach. Someone wants to sell, someone else wants to buy, and our role is to mediate in the market, which provides both parties with a professional user experience. This is not tied to the size of the partner, it opens up additional opportunities for everyone to access purchasing sources. Our offer has at least 1,500 vehicles in stock at any given time, and over 20,000 vehicles in stock at our partners.
How do you ensure that the business interests of vehicle dealers are protected?
Preskok operates as a B2B platform and is not a competitor to B2C vehicle sellers in any way. The decision to buy or sell through our solution is always yours, and our task is to offer you vehicles and services at competitive terms. We cooperate exclusively with partners with a proven track record, quality operations and adequate capital coverage. Preskok always acts as an intermediary and our financial data alone speaks best for the fact that we are a partner you can rely on. We take the risk and put our tools and channels at your disposal. Our margin is known in advance and we believe that it is cheaper with us than if you were to enter the purchasing channels yourself.
Every industry has its own rules and culture. For us, this is a very important element of partnership, which, in addition to a technologically sophisticated user experience, also ensures professionalism, reliability and security in your business. We have also gained our reputation as members of an international organization that connects over 500 unauthorized vehicle dealers, within which we were appointed ambassador in the Balkan region.
How to start?
Your journey to easier vehicle purchasing starts in 3 simple steps:
1️⃣ Express interest under the Trading Hub tab in the AutoBrief menu or via the button below
2️⃣ Fill out the form with the necessary information and documentation to activate Trading Hub
3️⃣ Start by easily searching, bidding and buying vehicles