Trade car websites: buying stock dealer-to-dealer
Trade car websites for dealers: dealer-to-dealer platforms, online trade sales, how pricing and fees work and how to judge a trade-only offer.
· 7 min read
Trade car websites are online platforms where only verified motor traders can buy used cars from other dealers, leasing companies, fleets and manufacturers. They work as timed auctions, live online sales or fixed-price "buy now" listings. Prices are trade prices, so a car only makes sense if your country's retail market leaves a margin after fees, transport, preparation and VAT.
What are trade car websites?
A trade car website is a business-to-business marketplace that sells used cars to registered dealers only, at prices below retail. Private buyers cannot register, which lets sellers offer cars "as seen" with a condition report instead of a consumer guarantee.
Most platforms fall into four groups:
- Online trade auctions. Remarketing companies sell ex-lease, ex-rental and fleet cars in timed or live auctions, often across borders. See our guide to online vehicle auctions.
- Dealer-to-dealer marketplaces. Franchised and independent dealers offer part-exchanges they do not want to retail, usually at fixed prices or by offer.
- Manufacturer and leasing portals. Captive finance companies and leasing firms run their own closed sales for returned cars.
- Trade-in and instant-buy platforms. Cars bought from private sellers are passed on to dealers through daily online auctions.
The car you see is the same in each case; what changes is who sells, how the price is set and how much risk you take on condition.
Who can buy on dealer-only trade platforms?
Only registered businesses that trade in vehicles can buy, and platforms check this before activating an account. Expect to provide:
- a company registration extract;
- your VAT identification number, which the platform checks in VIES;
- a trade or business licence where your country requires one;
- the identity of the directors and of each user who will bid;
- sometimes a deposit, a bank guarantee or trade references.
Approval can take from a few hours to a couple of weeks. Cross-border platforms usually accept dealers from all EU countries, but some sellers restrict individual lots to buyers from certain countries, for example because of export conditions in the leasing contract.
For car dealers
Know your margin before you buy
MyCarDealer compares any car from an auction or listing with the market in your country and shows the net margin after VAT, transport and costs – and the maximum bid.
Request accessHow fees work on trade car websites
Trade car websites earn mostly from buyer fees, so the hammer or "buy now" price is never the full cost. The typical items are:
| Cost item | How it is charged |
|---|---|
| Buyer's fee | Fixed per car or a sliding scale by price band |
| Platform or membership fee | Monthly or annual, on some sites |
| Document and handling fee | Per car, for registration papers and release |
| Transport | Optional, from the platform's logistics partner |
| Storage | Daily, after a short free period |
| VAT deposit | For VAT-qualifying cars bought by foreign dealers, refunded after proof of arrival |
Fees differ widely between platforms and countries; our comparison of car auction fees in Europe shows how to add them up. As a rule, a fee that looks small on a €20,000 car can be large on a €4,000 car, so compare fees as a share of the expected margin, not of the price.
How pricing works on trade sites
Trade prices are set by competition among dealers, not by a price guide. In an auction, the seller usually has a reserve and may accept a bid below it after the sale. In fixed-price listings the asking price is a starting point for an offer.
Three points shape the trade price of a car:
- Who can bid. A platform open to dealers from twenty countries pushes prices towards the best market in Europe, not your local one.
- VAT status. A VAT-qualifying car is shown net, a margin car gross. The two are not comparable until you convert them to your own VAT position.
- Condition grade and history. Missing service records or a second key can move the price more than a few thousand kilometres.
The gap between what you pay and what your customers will pay is explained in more depth in trade price vs retail price.
How to know whether a trade price leaves enough margin
A trade-only offer is good only if the retail price of comparable cars in your country, minus all costs, leaves your target margin. Work it out in this order:
- Retail benchmark. Find comparable cars: same model, generation, engine and year ±2, similar mileage. For example, according to listings tracked by MyCarDealer in Germany in October 2026, 247 Skoda Octavia diesels from 2020 to 2022 had a median asking price of €16,999, with the middle half between €14,900 and €20,490 and a median mileage of about 119,000 km.
- Realistic selling price. Advertised prices are not final prices. Deduct the typical negotiation in your market.
- VAT. For a margin car, VAT is due on your margin at your country's rate. For a VAT-qualifying car, you pay VAT on the full selling price but can deduct input VAT.
- Costs. Buyer's fee, transport, preparation, warranty and registration.
- Margin. What remains must cover your overheads and profit.
A worked example for a German dealer looking at an Octavia offered as a margin car for €12,900 plus a €350 fee: expected selling price €16,500; transport €400; preparation and warranty €900. Margin before VAT: €16,500 − €12,900 − €350 − €400 − €900 = €1,950. VAT on the margin: the taxable margin is the difference between selling and purchase price, so transport and preparation do not reduce it; it is €16,500 − €12,900 = €3,600, so VAT is €3,600 × 19/119 = €575. Profit after VAT: about €1,375. Whether that is enough depends on your target and your days in stock.
MyCarDealer runs this calculation automatically from current listings in your own country and shows the maximum price you can pay; its Chrome extension shows the margin directly on supported auction pages. You can value one car for free on the homepage.
Risks to check before buying from a trade site
Most expensive mistakes on trade car websites come from the information you did not read rather than from the price. Before you commit:
- read the condition report and damage grades, not only the photos;
- check what the seller excludes: mechanical faults, electrics, missing keys or documents;
- confirm the VAT status and the documents you will receive, especially for cross-border purchases;
- check the time limits for payment, collection and complaints;
- for unknown dealer-to-dealer sellers, verify the company and its VAT number yourself.
Trade platforms are one of several sources; our overview of where car dealers buy cars compares them with auctions, leasing returns and private buying.
Frequently asked questions
What are trade car websites?
They are business-to-business platforms where verified motor traders buy used cars from other dealers, leasing companies, fleets and manufacturers at trade prices. Cars are sold by auction or at fixed prices, usually "as seen" with a condition report.
Who can buy on dealer-only trade platforms?
Only registered businesses that trade in vehicles. Platforms typically ask for a company registration extract, a valid VAT number, a trade licence where required and the identity of the people who will bid.
How do fees work on trade car websites?
The main cost is the buyer's fee, either fixed or on a sliding scale by price. On top come document, handling, transport and storage fees, and for VAT-qualifying cars bought from abroad often a refundable VAT deposit.
Where can a dealer sell cars to the trade?
Dealers can sell unwanted part-exchanges through the same platforms: online trade auctions, dealer-to-dealer marketplaces or instant-buy services. Selling to the trade is quicker than retailing but leaves a lower price, so it suits cars outside your usual stock profile.
How do I know whether a trade price leaves enough margin?
Compare it with the retail prices of comparable cars in your own country, deduct negotiation, VAT, fees, transport and preparation, and check what remains against your target margin. Do this before bidding, not after winning.