The combination of snow and ice during December saw the number of online bidders for used vehicles increase.

At BCA, online buyer volumes rose sharply from a typical 18% of sold vehicles to an average of more than 23% nationwide.

It was a similar picture at Manheim, where an increase in their online activity helped keep the market moving.

But online remarketing company CD Auction Group says more and more major vehicle and plant operators are switching defleet business to online auctions irrespective of the weather.

“More and more buyers and vendors are looking to use the internet to sell their vehicles,” said Roger Woodward, managing director of CD Auction Group.

“There are lots of advantages. It saves you both time and money, but it’s the convenience of the whole process that makes it really advantageous.”

CD Auction Group has been at the forefront of ‘hammerless’ auctions since the company was established 21 years ago.

In a recent survey, it revealed that 83.3% of respondents had started using online auctions more in the past five years.

Looking ahead, Woodward believes this trend will continue and the 6,500 vehicles CD Auction group sells annually will double in the next two years.