Terms and Conditions

Dealer “Highly Rated” Awards

Business Rules (“Rules”)

Last Updated: 3 January 2023

The Dealer “Highly Rated” Awards are subject to the Main Advertising Terms & Conditions which are incorporated into the Rules by reference.

Terms defined in the Main Advertising Terms & Conditions shall have the same meaning in these Rules provided that, should a term be defined in both the Main Advertising Terms & Conditions and these Rules, the meaning of the term defined in these Rules shall have precedence in relation to the Rules.

  1. In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms have the following meanings:

    1. “Award Stickers” means the physical stickers and digital labels which are awarded by Auto Trader to the Award Winners;
    2. “Award Winners” means Advertisers who, at Auto Trader’s sole discretion, satisfy the Qualifying Criteria in respect of the applicable calendar year and are therefore awarded the Dealer “Highly Rated” Awards;
    3. “Dealer “Highly Rated” Awards” means the annual awards relating to reviews of Advertisers on the Auto Trader and third party platforms, which are open to all Advertisers and are determined by Auto Trader in accordance with the Qualifying Criteria, resulting in the award of Award Stickers to the Award Winners;
    4. “False Review” means any review of an Advertiser where the source, content and authenticity of such cannot be determined to be accurate and genuine to Auto Trader’s satisfaction, having made reasonable enquiries; and
    5. “Qualifying Criteria” means in respect of the applicable calendar year, the internal criteria which Auto Trader shall determine and apply to Advertisers in respect of the reviews of Advertisers on the Auto Trader and third party platforms, such criteria to be published following the notification of the Award Winners for such year.
    2. Auto Trader assesses reviews of Advertisers and applies the Qualifying Criteria to determine the Award Winners. This includes aggregating review data from Auto Trader’s partner websites, if the Advertiser has been successfully set up to do so.

  3. All Advertisers who satisfy the Qualifying Criteria will receive the Dealer “Highly Rated” Award for the applicable year, unless, in Auto Trader’s sole opinion, they:

    1. do not adhere to Auto Trader’s best practice requirements which are located at https://www.autotrader.co.uk/trade-site-images/static/assets/best-practice-and-user-guides/dealer-reviews/dealer-reviews-best-practice-guide.pdf
    2. attempt to deceive consumers through the practice of accumulating False Reviews; or
    3. have not complied with any provision of the Main Advertising Terms and Conditions and/or any relevant Business Rules.
    4. Auto Trader will notify the Award Winners that they are the successful recipients of the Dealer “Highly Rated” Awards in or around July of each year, and the Award Stickers will be delivered to the Advertiser and applied to the Auto Trader platforms (as applicable) following such notification. Auto Trader will also publish the Qualifying Criteria following such notification.
    5. Auto Trader reserve the right to withdraw the Dealer “Highly Rated” Award and the Award Stickers from any Award Winner who attempts to deceive consumers through the practice of accumulating False Reviews.
    6. Auto Trader cannot guarantee that any Award Winner who subsequently ceases to be an Auto Trader customer shall be entitled to an existing Dealer “Highly Rated” Award should it return to Auto Trader as a customer at a later date.
    7. Auto Trader’s decision in respect of the Dealer “Highly Rated” Awards is final.
    8. Auto Trader reserves the right to amend, modify or remove the terms of the Dealer “Highly Rated” Award at any point with immediate effect.