Leading Automotive Marketplaces & Retailers in the UK: Q4 2024 Overview

Introduction

In the vibrant UK automotive marketplace, several brands have emerged as leaders, boasting substantial monthly audiences across their websites and apps. This article delves into the performance and trends of three prominent brands: CarGurus LLC, Arnold Clark Automobiles Limited, and Copart, Inc. Utilizing Sensor Tower’s comprehensive data offerings, we provide unique insights into these brands' digital presence and advertising strategies.

CarGurus LLC

CarGurus LLC, a key player in the automotive marketplace, maintains a strong digital presence with its website, cargurus.com, and the CarGurus: Used & New Cars app.

• Audience Trends: During Q4 2024, cargurus.com exhibited fluctuating web traffic, with visits peaking in November at approximately 3.9M before dropping to around 3M in December. The monthly true audience, reflecting both web and app users, remained stable above 600K throughout the quarter.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users hovered around 290K, showcasing a slight increase in December, indicating steady mobile engagement.

• Ad Spend & Channels: CarGurus increased its monthly advertising spend from about $107K in October to over $178K in December. Facebook dominated their ad channels, delivering the majority of impressions, with a notable spike in Instagram ad spend in December.

Arnold Clark Automobiles Limited

Arnold Clark’s digital footprint includes the website arnoldclark.com and the Arnold Clark - New & used cars app.

• Audience Trends: The website saw a decline in visits from October’s 3.9M to around 2.3M in December. The monthly true audience also decreased but stayed above 230K throughout the quarter.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users slightly declined over the quarter, ending December with approximately 95K users.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Arnold Clark’s advertising efforts peaked in November with a monthly ad spend of over $300K, primarily on Facebook and YouTube, indicating a robust multimedia strategy.

Copart, Inc.

Copart, Inc. operates through its website copart.com and the Copart - Online Auto Auctions app.

• Audience Trends: The website's visits experienced fluctuations, peaking in November at over 4.1M. Despite this, the monthly true audience was relatively small, hovering around 150K in November.

• App Engagement: The app maintained a steady monthly user base, with active users slightly increasing to about 19K by December.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Copart’s monthly ad spend was minimal, with only a small investment in Facebook ads during October, suggesting a more conservative advertising approach.

Conclusion

The UK automotive marketplace in Q4 2024 was marked by dynamic shifts in web and app engagement, with CarGurus, Arnold Clark, and Copart each demonstrating unique strategies and audience behaviors. Sensor Tower’s unrivaled data offerings, including Web Insights, App Performance Insights, and Pathmatics, provide critical insights into these trends, enabling a deeper understanding of cross-platform user behavior.

For more detailed insights, explore Sensor Tower’s comprehensive data solutions at Web Insights, App Performance Insights, and Pathmatics.