If you are passionate about cars, then starting a car dealership might sound like the perfect business opportunity for you. You will be able to be your own boss and you can spend time around products that excite you, such as Nissan Qashai used cars, or luxury pre-owned cars, and used cars for business owners. But, you might not know where to start when planning your car dealership business.
If you want to open a franchise there are steps to follow. All car dealers need to have the correct documents in order when applying for buying and selling rights of cars, and you need to have the service history of all cars for sale on your lot. Interested in opening your own dealership or becoming part of a franchise?
Do your research
Before you jump right in to finding the perfect location for your car franchise or business, it is important to perform some market research into the industry. The first step is determining the demand for your particular service, which is providing used or second-hand cars for sale to the public.
Look at how many cars have been sold in your town recently, assuming that most people are willing to travel up to 16km to find a car. This might show you that in your area, up to 100 000 cars have been sold in a year. This is a significant demand, which will mean that your business model is a viable choice. Find out which people prefer used cars over the pre-owned vehicle options to further help your decisions.
Create a business plan
Once you have performed your research, it is time to create a business plan. You need a business plan to show any prospective franchisees and franchisors or for explaining to your lender exactly what you want to do with your car dealership business. It should include your initial and ongoing costs as well as what your working capital is.
The most important part of your business plan will be the cars themselves. For example, will you be selling new, used, or pre-owned vehicles? Will you be focusing on one brand or offering multiple brands? Answer these questions first and remember to include costing for salaries, lease agreements, and other business costs. Another important part of your business plan include how you will raise money to repay any loans or finance agreements you might have.
Have the right documents
After finalising your business plan, you should do some research into what documents you need to continue. In South Africa, this includes a dealer’s license which allows you to legally buy and sell cars to the public. It ensures that all of your business activities fall under the consumer rights and protection act.
You will also need to have documentation showing that you are leasing or own the property you will be operating from. You should look into a surety bond, which will protect you from any damages to the property. Speak to your lender about the other documents that you need for a franchise agreement, as these might be slightly different from what is required for a normal dealership. Also be sure to provide the correct documents to those you are purchasing used cars from.
Investigate inventory opportunities
The most important aspect of owning a car dealership is, of course, having cars to sell. This means that you will need investigate inventory opportunities, such as going to bank auctions to find cars that you can bid on and then resell at a fair price, or you could offer to purchase used cars from people who need to sell them and then resell these after much needed repairs and sprucing up.
You should always keep your budget in mind when purchasing inventory, as it can become costly if you are continuously running over-budget on purchases. This is when it is important to keep your business plan in mind as it will show you exactly how much you have to spend on inventory so that you can stick to this budget. If you would like to appeal to those who have discerning taste, you should remember that luxury vehicles might cost more than others.
Don’t forget about marketing
Once you have done your research, drawn up a business plan, and found all of your inventory, start working on marketing your business. Invest your money in a company that can help you to reach your audience by using modern digital tactics as well as traditional techniques of marketing. Remember to have the right documents together so that everything is legal and above board before you open your doors. Soon your car dealership will be booming and you will be helping people to find the cars of their dreams.
