Online brands team up across the ditch

Gumtree, CarsGuide and Autotrader are joining forces in Australia with the aim to offer more reach, insights and tools for thousands of dealers.

The deal for eBay Classifieds Group (eCG), through Gumtree, to acquire Cox Australia Media Solutions (CAMS), which operates CarsGuide.com.au and Autotrader.com.au, was finalised on June 1.

Moving forward, eCG aims to build upon each of the brand’s respective strengths but the individual sites will all maintain their unique offerings.

Gumtree is the number one site across the ditch for privately listed vehicles, CarsGuide.com.au holds the same ranking for automotive editorial and Autotrader.com.au is number two for dealer network customers.

The companies say “the acquisition will create a comprehensive automotive ecosystem for dealers providing more reach, insights and tools”. 

The acquisition follows eCG’s verticalisation strategy, which has already been executed in other countries, including the UK, and aligns with eBay’s goal to become the leading automotive classifieds marketplace globally.

Mark Kehoe, pictured left, managing director of Gumtree Australia, says: “Our key focus is to support the CarsGuide Autotrader team to develop one, consolidated proposition for car dealers and commercial partners and deliver incremental value. 

“Consumers will have a choice between three shop windows to browse, buy and sell. This is just one step in the direction of Gumtree’s vision of, together, becoming the leading automotive marketplace in Australia, in line with eBay’s global vision for automotive classifieds.”

For dealers, the companies claim the move will build upon Gumtree’s scale and insights and create three shop windows for partners to advertise, with more than 38 million visits per month across all the brands.

While for consumers, the combined offering will provide a car-buying, browsing and selling destination across the platforms for privately listed and dealer listed vehicles.

Shaun Cornelius, pictured right, chief executive of CarsGuide Autotrader, adds the group’s combined network of more than 2,500 dealers will help “create a stronger automotive destination across the three brands”. 

“Along with Gumtree’s reach, insights and monthly connections, the collective will significantly benefit the Australian automotive industry,” Cornelius says.