The competitive balance in Canada’s online auto vertical continues to shift. Kijiji Autos — which has by far the most private-party listings but is far behind AutoTrader.ca in dealer inventory — has begun charging dealers for listings. Rates per vehicle for a 31-day listing range from C$9.99 in Quebec & B.C. (where Trader’s LesPAC and BuySell are dominant) to $11.99 across the country and $14.99 in the Greater Toronto Area. (“Dealers” are defined as anyone with more than two vehicles for sale.) Kijiji Canada has been offering dealer packages since late 2009, working with inventory partners Strathcom, Boost Motors, Evolio and EDealer, but apparently now will block any attempts at “free” commercial postings. An impressive ComScore chart shows Kijiji’s market-leading traffic; the challenge is convincing dealers that its traffic turns into meaningful leads. Meanwhile, the Metroland / Torstar-owned Wheels.ca is flooding its Ontario markets with four-page, full-color print editions displaying inventory from each local market. Nearly 2 million copies are delivered, either with the local newspaper or by alternative methods where no Metroland paper is published. The combination of online and mass-delivered print is, while an expensive investment, a weapon that’s virtually impossible for competitors to match.

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