Pistonheads or more like piston wearing out!

Pistonheads or more like piston wearing out!

Author
Discussion

wise man

Original Poster:

64 posts

186 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
Been a loyal customer for over ten years and suddenly got a call to say my costs will be doubled by someone new who lacks customer skills. Having tried to explain that the we are about to hit a major depression and selling a car is now like winning the lottery she simply did not understand and barked about new rates.

I also tried to explain how the site is loosing clients like privates sellers have gone down from 2900 in the summer to 1800 which is nearly 3rd gone. I explained that the website does very little promotion and never seen at any reputable events which again she didn't understand. Spoke to the main chap and again didn't have much luck. Sadly seems a new team who are keen to have a grand burial for this website.

How can some people who are not even loyal get free ads yet loyal ones asked to pay double???

To make matters worse I can't even access or make the site work on my iPhone and when I called no one seemed bothered to help or even call back.

I hope the top man reads this and understands the concerns. The site is great but sadly really not run well. Shame as it can really compete well with AT if it listened to clients and showed some care and respect to ones who have supported it for years...

Vixpy1

42,620 posts

263 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
Pistonheads has been sold , as part of the sale announcement :

'The proposed sale is expected to close in early 2019, subject to satisfaction of certain closing conditions. '

I'm willing to bet one of those was a certain turnover.

wise man

Original Poster:

64 posts

186 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
Ah thanks for the heads up. Says it all create some fake revenue hike and then flog.

The site has gone down a fair bit so I guess they trying to revive it.

Doesn’t even work properly and no one care.

They use to be a really nice chap called Matt and he has gone. Wonder why??

Times like this you try and up sell to customers no push them away.

Buyers of the company beware and take note. Happy to help you understand the needs after all I have worked in advertising and was one of the main person who launched national sales at Autotrader in 90’s.

Could be a great site but you need people with passion and a love of cars....

Edited by wise man on Saturday 8th December 21:15

Pericoloso

44,044 posts

162 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
"Loyal customer"...with 5 posts in over 10 years,2 of those moaning above.


Just what this site needs.

Unreal !

sunbeam alpine

6,936 posts

187 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
Pericoloso said:
"Loyal customer"...with 5 posts in over 10 years,2 of those moaning above.


Just what this site needs.

Unreal !
In fairness, it's not the forum which brings in the money - the OP may have placed a lot of ads over the years.

He could be worth more to PH than you or I. smile

JulianHJ

8,733 posts

261 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
Pericoloso said:
"Loyal customer"...with 5 posts in over 10 years,2 of those moaning above.


Just what this site needs.

Unreal !
Someone needs to pay the bills, and it's advertisers such as the OP that I presume make it possible for you and I to use this site (and advertise private sales on it if we wish) for free.

wise man

Original Poster:

64 posts

186 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
Thank you sunbeam alpine and Julian for your kind words. You are right but it’s guys like you that are loyal clients that put the cornflakes on my table so you do contribute.

Let’s hope they take note and listen to us all.

Pericoloso

44,044 posts

162 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
I tried to edit my post to not look so foolish but now it's been quoted ,too late.

Foolish it is !

wise man

Original Poster:

64 posts

186 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
Hey ericoloso no worries these things happen. In reply to your post I don’t say much as being dyselxic sometimes ones words get a little jumbled.

But I do read posts as like to see what’s happening with you guys and many have bought plates from me too.

Pericoloso

44,044 posts

162 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
I never know when to keep quiet , I rush in and post something I regret.

Note to self.

Try to engage brain before hitting submit button .

hyphen

26,262 posts

89 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
wise man said:
Been a loyal customer for over ten years and suddenly got a call to say my costs will be doubled by someone new who lacks customer skills. Having tried to explain that the we are about to hit a major depression and selling a car is now like winning the lottery she simply did not understand and barked about new rates.

I also tried to explain how the site is loosing clients like privates sellers have gone down from 2900 in the summer to 1800 which is nearly 3rd gone. I explained that the website does very little promotion and never seen at any reputable events which again she didn't understand. Spoke to the main chap and again didn't have much luck. Sadly seems a new team who are keen to have a grand burial for this website.

How can some people who are not even loyal get free ads yet loyal ones asked to pay double???

To make matters worse I can't even access or make the site work on my iPhone and when I called no one seemed bothered to help or even call back.

I hope the top man reads this and understands the concerns. The site is great but sadly really not run well. Shame as it can really compete well with AT if it listened to clients and showed some care and respect to ones who have supported it for years...
Autotrader/Ebay instead?

hyphen

26,262 posts

89 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
Vixpy1 said:
Pistonheads has been sold , as part of the sale announcement :

'The proposed sale is expected to close in early 2019, subject to satisfaction of certain closing conditions. '

I'm willing to bet one of those was a certain turnover.
Didn't know that. Just looked it up, sold to the bloke who co-founded Trip Advisor. Does this mean Name & Shame will be allowed now? wink

Pistonheads to be used to expand the 'Car Gurus' reach.

"CarGurus, founded in the US in 2006 by TripAdvisor co-founder Langley Steinert, aims to use technology and analytics to bring trust and transparency to the car shopping process.

The company is the largest online automotive marketplace in the US by monthly unique visitors and the fastest-growing automotive marketplace in the UK, according to monthly unique visitors."

funkyrobot

18,789 posts

227 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
hyphen said:
wise man said:
Been a loyal customer for over ten years and suddenly got a call to say my costs will be doubled by someone new who lacks customer skills. Having tried to explain that the we are about to hit a major depression and selling a car is now like winning the lottery she simply did not understand and barked about new rates.

I also tried to explain how the site is loosing clients like privates sellers have gone down from 2900 in the summer to 1800 which is nearly 3rd gone. I explained that the website does very little promotion and never seen at any reputable events which again she didn't understand. Spoke to the main chap and again didn't have much luck. Sadly seems a new team who are keen to have a grand burial for this website.

How can some people who are not even loyal get free ads yet loyal ones asked to pay double???

To make matters worse I can't even access or make the site work on my iPhone and when I called no one seemed bothered to help or even call back.

I hope the top man reads this and understands the concerns. The site is great but sadly really not run well. Shame as it can really compete well with AT if it listened to clients and showed some care and respect to ones who have supported it for years...
Autotrader/Ebay instead?
I agree with this. Take your business elsewhere.

I've only sold a few cars in the past but never had any luck with it on here. Only used the terrible classifieds because I get free adverts.

wise man

Original Poster:

64 posts

186 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
Ahh I see so I guess that says it all. I don’t think Mr trip advisor really cares about transparency in the UK car market it’s all about the dollar bills...

I have never really got on with EBay or had any trust with the way it’s works. Autotrader has gone down the pan too. Charges have shot up and big dealers get priority listing. Everything is changed for. £70 to advertise and another £50 to get priority. Cars and classic is a great site plus it’s free for trade and private.

Profits are going down but Greedy websites are pushing the small guys out. Shame as it’s the passionate car fans are being squeezed.

Would be good to see a new website launched. Time for me to grow a beard and become a barista


ninepoint2

3,262 posts

159 months

Saturday 8th December 2018
quotequote all
hyphen said:
Autotrader/Ebay instead?
Now you mention it I have never even thought about looking on PH when buying a car

Don Roque

17,990 posts

158 months

Wednesday 26th December 2018
quotequote all
ninepoint2 said:
Now you mention it I have never even thought about looking on PH when buying a car
I use the PH forums almost every day but the classifieds are total crap now, just a total ghost town. I was never away from the PH classifieds a few years ago. I can't remember when I stopped bothering with OH classifieds, but I do recall a bungled attempt at an awful filter based system that went down like a lead balloon.

DickyC

49,548 posts

197 months

Wednesday 26th December 2018
quotequote all
ninepoint2 said:
Now you mention it I have never even thought about looking on PH when buying a car
Looking for a car brought me to PH. I'd never heard of it until then.

aka_kerrly

12,416 posts

209 months

Wednesday 26th December 2018
quotequote all
ninepoint2 said:
Now you mention it I have never even thought about looking on PH when buying a car
Be careful, if you think there too many threads about leasing and "white goods" cars now it's going to get a whole lot worse when 99.9% of the "content" is just that

Lester H

2,672 posts

104 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
quotequote all
Vixpy1 said:
Pistonheads has been sold , as part of the sale announcement :

'The proposed sale is expected to close in early 2019, subject to satisfaction of certain closing conditions. '

I'm willing to bet one of those was a certain turnover.
At a bit of a tangent, does anyone on here know how Pistonheads is censored, posts moved, or closed, etc.

NGRhodes

1,291 posts

71 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
quotequote all
Lester H said:
Vixpy1 said:
Pistonheads has been sold , as part of the sale announcement :

'The proposed sale is expected to close in early 2019, subject to satisfaction of certain closing conditions. '

I'm willing to bet one of those was a certain turnover.
At a bit of a tangent, does anyone on here know how Pistonheads is censored, posts moved, or closed, etc.
https://www.pistonheads.com/terms-and-conditions