How to reduce the turnaround time of spare stock

1. What is stock rotation time and why does it matter?

The rotation time indicates how many days a vehicle remains in stock before being sold. It is a key metric to evaluate the commercial efficiency of a used vehicle dealership.

1.1 Definition and formula

Rotation time = Average days a car remains unsold.

1.2 Why it is important

• A parked car costs money (financing, space, depreciation)

• Lower rotation = less liquidity and worse image

• High rotation = more sales, more profit, and always updated stock

2. How to analyze your current rotation

2.1 Key metrics

• Days in stock

• Monthly rotation ratio (number of sales / average stock)

2.2 Segment to detect patterns

• By car type (SUVs, compacts, industrials)

• By age, price, or mileage

• By acquisition channel (web, portals, in-person)

2.3 Tools to obtain data

• Dealership CRM

• Reports from used vehicle portals

• Platforms like Dealcar that allow measuring rotation by model and segment

3. Strategies to reduce stock rotation of used vehicles

3.1 Optimized photography and descriptions

• Good photos = more clicks

• Complete descriptions, with benefits, guarantees, and calls to action

3.2 Competitive pricing from day one

• 70% of visits occur in the first 10 days

• If the car is overpriced, it "burns out" and loses interest

3.3 Visibility of stock

• Highlight used vehicles with low rotation on the homepage

• Simultaneous publication on own website and portals

3.4 Remarketing and active promotion

• Campaigns for users who visited listings

• Limited-time offers to move specific units

3.5 Identify and manage "slow cars"

• Vehicles with +60 days: review price, photo, listing or consider auction or sale to a professional

4. Strategic stock management

4.1 Control from the purchase

• Choose models with high demand

• Avoid impulsive purchases without rotation data

4.2 Rotation policy

• Set a goal: maximum stock 60 days

• Automatic action plan if a used vehicle does not rotate in 45-50 days

4.3 Automation

• Internal alerts for slow cars

• Automatic reports each week with rotation KPIs

5. Practical example: from 90 to 45 days on average

A dealership with 50 used vehicles in stock detects that the average selling time was 90 days. After applying:

• Competitive prices from day 1

• Professional photos for the entire inventory

• Segmented remarketing campaigns

The rotation progressively drops to 45 days in three months, with a 20% increase in profit per unit.

6. Comparative table: slow rotation stock vs optimized stock

7. Checklist to reduce the rotation of used vehicle stock

• [ ] Review prices each week

• [ ] Upload professional photos of each used vehicle

• [ ] Enrich descriptions with calls to action

• [ ] Activate remarketing campaigns

• [ ] Apply a maximum stock policy of 60 days

• [ ] Automate alerts for slow cars

• [ ] Analyze KPIs each week

8. FAQs

What is the ideal average rotation time for used vehicles?

Between 30 and 60 days is generally a good range to maintain a profitable operation.

How to know which cars take longer to sell?

Check your CRM or stock management platform to see the days in inventory for each unit.

Is it worth lowering the price after a certain time?

Yes. It is better to adjust after 30-40 days than to keep a car parked and depreciating.

How can Dealcar help?

Dealcar allows visualizing in real-time the rotation per unit, activating promotions, automating alerts, and better positioning cars with low turnover.

9. Conclusion

Reducing rotation time not only improves the dealership's liquidity: it also increases sales, enhances the business image, and frees up space for more current stock. With concrete tactics and tools like Dealcar, any used vehicle dealership can optimize its inventory and sell more in less time.