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The certified pre-owned industry is coming off its best sales month ever, and shopping-trend data from CNW Research is reinforcing why.

During the last 16 years, the percentage of shoppers who would consider an off-lease CPO unit moved from 88.9 percent to 98.2 percent. In the September edition of the firm’s Retail Automotive Summary, CNW indicated none of the respondents in its data set stated that they would not consider an off-lease CPO unit.

Autodata Corp. reported that monthly CPO sales surpassed 200,000 units for the first time. Analysts tallied up August’s total and found the figure came in at 200,332 CPO units, up 25.0 percent from August of last year and 9.6 percent higher than the prior month.

While appeal and sales of CPO are at all-time highs, a much different scenario in regard to shopper consideration is unfolding for off-rental and repo units.

In fact, CNW discovered the turnoff of repossessed vehicles is a trend that’s developed significantly since 1997.

CNW president Art Spinella said it was “hard to believe” that back in 1997, a total of 70 percent of used-vehicle shoppers would consider buying a repossessed vehicle even though “a majority had been abused.”

Fast forward 16 years and CNW’s data shows only 31.8 percent of shoppers would consider buying a repo unit.

Even more telling according to Spinella, 55 percent of shoppers would never think about buying a repo. Back in 1997, that level was just 8 percent.

Off-rental units aren’t necessary too high on used-vehicle shoppers’ lists, either. CNW indicated a fairly consistent level both in 1997 and this year when it comes to these used models. Here is the breakdown:

—In 1997, shoppers unlikely to consider an off-rental unit came in at 64.6 percent and definitely not likely to consider this kind of unit came in at 24.7 percent.

—This year, shoppers unlikely to consider an off-rental unit came in at 61.4 percent and definitely not likely to consider this kind unit came in at 29.3 percent.

Spinella attempted to clarify all of these shopping trends and explain what has triggered changing demands during the past 16 years.

“First and foremost, consumers are becoming increasingly more selective in what they will buy used,” Spinella said. “They want a vehicle meeting exacting specifications from color to options to mileage.

“In 1997 and before, a less finicky shopper might accept a blue model instead of the desired red one or abandon the desire for power seats. Not any longer,” he went on to say. “Even those looking at 10-year-old or older vehicles are quick to reject an offering that doesn’t meet an increasingly strict criteria.”

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