NEW car website, CarExpert, has introduced a new pay-per-sale business model where dealers only pay a fee once a vehicle referred by CarExpert’s readers has been delivered.

At the core of CarExpert’s new model is a dedicated team of new car specialists who guide buyers from initial enquiry through to final delivery. CarExpert says this will offer its buyers a seamless and transparent experience.

Damon Rielly – CEO of CarExpert

The company said the specialists manage the process end to end — understanding each customer’s needs, coordinating quotes, and handling all communication until the car is handed over.  The CarExpert Exchange, a new technology platform, underpins this process by enabling efficient, structured interactions between the CarExpert team and participating dealers.

A change in strategy

CarExpert has offered a pay-per-lead model, with about 300 dealers participating. While successful, the business identified that this model didn’t fully meet the car-buyer and dealer best interests. 

Dealers on the old model can continue as is, although have been invited to join the new CarExpert dealer network to benefit from the efficiencies of the pay-per-sale model.

CarExpert CEO Damon Rielly told GoAutoNews Premium that the new business model was inspired by direct feedback from readers asking, “Why doesn’t CarExpert just buy the car for us?”

The new model remains free for buyers, and dealers only pay once a car is successfully delivered. The procurement fee is based on the price of the car and is provided within the quote request to dealers.

The journey until now

CarExpert has consistently evolved its business model to align with how Australians research and buy cars.

Originally launched as an independent new-car review and comparison platform, CarExpert built a large audience by helping buyers make informed decisions through expert advice and transparent content.

To extend that experience, CarExpert acquired PriceMyCar and began experimenting with connecting buyers directly to dealers. While the early lead-generation model worked for reach, it relied on dealers to report conversions — a gap that limited visibility into real sales outcomes.

In response, the company introduced a pay-per-lead subscription system that delivered qualified inquiries to dealers, but recognised that competing head-to-head with larger, volume-driven platforms on this model wasn’t sustainable.

That learning led to the development of its new pay-per-sale model, powered by CarExpert Exchange that ties dealer investment directly to actual sales. It combines CarExpert’s consumer content with a managed quoting and delivery process, ensuring both buyers and dealers benefit from a more transparent and efficient approach.Explaining the process, Mr Rielly said: “We’ve built a team of new car specialists who now manage each buyer relationship from the moment they enquire. Instead of leads going straight to a dealer, they first come into our team.“We qualify them — are they in-market right now, or still researching? If they’re not ready, we nurture them through remarketing until they are. If they are ready, one of our specialists will pick up the phone to understand exactly what they’re after – model preferences, timing, delivery needs, even colour.”

“From there, the process is simple. Dealers no longer pay for every lead or a monthly subscription – they only pay a procurement fee when the sale is completed, and the car is delivered.”

“Our team manages everything that happens in between: all the admin, chasing payment, and coordinating delivery. Once a buyer chooses their car, we prepare the details, get the necessary documents securely to the dealer, and arrange for the customer to sign the dealer contract. 

“The agreement remains between the buyer and the dealer. We just make the process seamless.

“When delivery day arrives, we set up the handover between the customer and dealer. After that, the buyer becomes part of that dealership’s ecosystem — for servicing, warranty, and resale.”

“On the dealer side, CarExpert Exchange helps manage the quoting process. Each request goes to up to three dealers, who get all the details they need, including trade-in and timing. 

“Dealers then respond with their best price first-time. There’s no back-and-forth negotiation.”

Carexpert says the dealer benefits include:

• Qualified buyers only – Dealers only receive in-market customers ready to purchase.
• No subscription fees – Access is free; payment is only due upon delivery.
• Pre-populated quote requests – Standardised quote templates with trade-in and delivery details.
• Custom dealer platform – Streamlined communication through one central quote hub.
• Customer-first experience – Buyers are supported from research to purchase by CarExpert’s specialist team.

“Once we have the quotes, our specialists talk through them with the customer: which car is available fastest, which offer represents the best value. Then the customer decides. We close the loop by connecting the buyer and the winning dealer — it’s quick, transparent, and built on trust.”

CarExpert said in a statement that this new model will give dealers “a smarter way to grow” by removing wasted time on unqualified leads and eliminating rising subscription costs for low-quality opportunities”. “Instead, investment is directly linked to sales – dealers only pay if the car is sold – making the model more transparent and sustainable. The result is stronger conversion rates, happier customers, and a clear competitive edge in a crowded market.

“The industry has been clear that lead prices are climbing faster than inflation, often without delivering better quality. Dealers are looking for competition that brings fresh ideas and a more sustainable way to connect with genuine buyers.

Mr Rielly said: “By tying investment to pay-per-sale rather than cost-per-lead, we are helping the industry move away from rising prices with little return, towards a smarter and more sustainable way of doing business. It’s about improving outcomes on both sides – buyers feel supported and dealers can focus their energy where it matters most.”