Carmana today launched “Carmana.com”, a one-stop online marketplace for used cars that connects buyers to sellers who are genuine car owners on an innovative digital platform with no middlemen. The new, one-stop destination opens up the first-ever experience in Thailand’s used car scene by offering full-service support to ensure buying and selling with “Convenience – Best Value – Trustworthy”. Using a strategy to build targeted awareness about these strengths, Carmana.com is expected to reach its 30,000 transaction milestone in three years.
Mr. Napol Chaisilwattana, CEO of Carmana Co., Ltd., said, “Carmana was inspired by sought-after experiences of used car buyers and sellers in Thailand. They look for convenience, best value and trustworthiness as well as end-to-end services, but no providers have offered all these in one place. Meanwhile, consumer behaviours in the digital era have changed. People are increasingly connected to the online world to search for information, socialise and shop. Latest figures show that Thailand’s Internet penetration rate is 67% of total population or ranked no.18 in the world. Thai people spend 6.4 online hours a day and E-commerce is expected to grow by 16% as compared with 2016, with the uptrends continuing. Moreover, consumers nowadays like buying and selling various types of products including cars through online Customer-to-customer (C2C) model. It’s therefore a good timing to offer an alternative way to buy and sell used cars on an online platform that will make the process more convenient and the prices fair to everyone. Combined with an extensive range of services, this can be the sought-after solution for the Thai consumers.”
“Having foreseen this opportunity, we created Carmana.com as the online customer-to-customer (C2C) marketplace for used cars where the buyers are connected to the sellers with no middlemen, plus a complete range of services as well as professional assistance and expert advice for less experienced buyers and sellers,” he continued. “Carmana is a new channel on digital platform with three key advantages, “Convenience – Best Value – Trustworthy”. It helps buyers get the car they love at a reasonable price, thanks to our earnest screening process to ensure that every seller is a genuine car owner, and thus no mark-up by a middleman. Listing a used car is free to the sellers. They can even enjoy free photography service to ensure that their cars look great and will boost the chance of selling. Currently, there are more than 1,700 cars listed on Carmana.com including Eco Cars, Sedans in all price range, SUV, Pickup Trucks, Van and Super Cars. More importantly, Carmana provides 186 points detailed car inspection service and co-test drive service with technical experts, and advisory service prior to one’s purchase. We also offer financing packages and closing financing service*, car insurance, and free vehicle ownership transfer service**. With all these available at Carmana Hub on Rama 3 Road, Carmana.com is the one-stop site for everything needed to complete a transaction.”
“At the launch stage, we are focused on building consumer awareness about the key strengths of Carmana and boosting the volume of website visitors to spur the used car market, which is sizable and has strong growth potentials. Our marketing strategy for this year encompasses both online and offline channels to communicate with the target audiences. For example, we actively promote our website, which has already counted 1.3 million website visits. Our Facebook page is engaged in content marketing to present practical tips about cars, their maintenance, buying and selling, as well as interesting activities and promotions from Carmana. We have also produced a series of commercials inspired by popular Thai proverbs to depict situations often faced by used car buyers and simultaneously highlight the key advantages of buying and selling on Carmana.com. With Mr. Mana the Penguin as the main character, each story has an easy-to-understand storyline and a good sense of humour to make the brand’s strengths immediately recognisable. The commercials have attracted nearly one million online views. Moreover, we advertise on radio, out-of-home media and MRT media using the slogan ‘Carmana.com - One-Stop-Service Used Car Website for Convenient Buying, Free Selling, and No Middlemen’. Our outreach to the target groups also included our presence at car shows, such as Motor Expo 2016 and Bangkok Used Car Show 2017,” Mr. Napol explained.
“Carmana clearly makes unique propositions to the consumers that address exactly what they are looking for. We are therefore confident that Carmana will receive favorable response from Thai consumers and bring a major change to the used car market in Thailand. We expect at least 800 used cars to be bought and sold on Carmana.com this year and accrued figures of 30,000 in three years’ time,” Mr. Napol concluded.
*Subject to our Terms and Conditions
**Carmana.com offers free paperwork handling for ownership transfer. Customers are responsible for any official fees, tax, stamp duty as collected by the Department of Land Transport.
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About Carmana.com
Carmana.com is a customer-to-customer online platform for used cars. Carmana provides one stop services to buyers and sellers of used cars including ownership transfer service, car inspection, financing and insurance services through its website & physical hub at Rama 3 Road, Bangkok.
For more information, please visit our website at www.carmana.com or facebook.com/carmanathailand.
