High demand for retail-ready used vans from dealers

The booming home delivery market has led to increased demand for retail-ready used vans by dealers.

Online remarketing firm Adesa UK found many retailers are heading online to source stock in order to meet customer demand.

“We are seeing an unprecedented demand for used commercial vehicles and that demand shows no signs of abating,” said Jonathan Holland, managing director of Adesa UK.

“A growing number of dealers, some of whom would normally only source cars, are coming to us to buy retail-ready light commercials for customers requiring vans. This increase in demand has undoubtedly been boosted by the number of start-ups joining the growing home delivery market,” he added.

The firm is seeing higher demand for all vehicle sizes, from car-derived vans up to panel vans, with good condition being a prime consideration among buyers.

“What has become apparent is that car dealers are not necessarily buying on price; more pressing concerns for them are condition, service history and functionality, with many actively bidding for vans to meet specific customer requirements,” said Holland.

Adesa UK believes demand has been boosted by a slowdown in the supply of some new models, prompting high levels of return business from dealers keen to restock.

Christmas 2020 is predicted to be 50% busier than last year, according to ParcelHero, but the UK’s delivery firms are already struggling to meet the unprecedented demand from the boom in online sales, fuelled by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

CitySprint has announced that it will recruit more than 750 additional couriers across the UK, ahead of this year’s Christmas rush.