Terms and Conditions

Free Package Upgrade Offer

Last Updated: 26 January 2026

This Free Package Upgrade Offer is provided subject to the Main Advertising Terms & Conditions, which are incorporated into these 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.

Business Rules ("Rules")

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

    1. “Baseline Stock” means the contracted number of stock the Qualifying
    2. “Baseline Package” means the Package the Qualifying Advertiser holds as at 23:59 on 31st January 2026;
    3. “Free Package Upgrade Offer” means the promotion operated by Autotrader which will allow Qualifying Advertisers, who sign up during the Sign-Up Period, to upgrade their existing Package to the next Package level up, being one Package higher than their existing Package for free during the Offer Period. During the Offer Period, the Qualifying Advertiser will pay their current rate (i.e. the rate they pay for their existing Package immediately prior to the Offer Period);
    4. “New Business Advertiser” means a Qualifying Advertiser who signs up to an Advertisement Agreement with Autotrader on or after 2nd February 2026;
    5. “Offer Period” means the period starting from when the Free Package Upgrade Offer is taken up during the Sign-Up Period (but to start no earlier than 16th February 2026) and continuing for a period of twelve consecutive weeks after that;
    6. “Package Upgrade” means the Qualifying Advertiser's upgraded Package (as a result of the Qualifying Advertiser participating in the Free Package Upgrade Offer;)

    7. “Qualifying Advertisers” means Advertisers who:

      1. have been invited by Autotrader to join the Free Package Upgrade Offer; and
      2. are independent or franchise car and van dealers only (including in Northern Ireland), who currently have an Advertising Agreement with Autotrader (excluding New Business Advertisers) including manufacturers and wholesalers on a used car advertising package; and
      3. are on a Standard, Enhanced or Super Package; and
      4. meet the downgrade criteria at paragraphs 4 to 6 below; and
    8. “Sign-Up Period” means the period between 16th February 2026 to 29th May 2026 (inclusive), as may be extended by Autotrader at its discretion.
  2. The Free Package Upgrade Offer is available to Qualifying Advertisers who sign-up for the Free Package Upgrade Offer during the Sign-Up Period, subject to these Rules and the Main Advertising Terms and Conditions.
  3. If any individual site in a Qualifying Advertiser's group is not eligible for the Free Package Upgrade Offer, this will not affect the eligibility of the Qualifying Advertiser's other sites to participate in the Free Package Upgrade Offer.
  4. Qualifying Advertisers will not be eligible for the Free Package Upgrade Offer if the Qualifying Advertiser has given notice to: (a) cancel or downgrade its Package below the Baseline Package; and/or (b) reduce its stock below the Baseline Stock on or after 1st February 2026.
  5. If a Qualifying Advertiser has given notice to: (a) cancel or downgrade its Package Baseline Package; and/or (b) reduce its contracted stock below the Baseline Stock on or after 1st February 2026, then it may become eligible for the Free Package Upgrade Offer if it retracts such notice to cancel or downgrade its Package or reduce its stock (as applicable) and returns to the Baseline Package (or above) and a stock level on or above the Baseline Stock, before 12:00 noon on 16th February.
  6. Qualifying Advertisers who have benefited from a package upgrade (level up) offer for new business on or before 31st January will be eligible for the Free Package Upgrade Offer provided that they have remained on the upgraded package after the offer ended.
  7. Where Qualifying Advertisers operate as a group, the Baseline Stock must be maintained across the group during the Offer Period and each site (DID) must maintain its Baseline Package (or above) for the duration of the Offer Period.
  8. Qualifying Advertisers may decide what date to start the Free Package Upgrade Offer during the Sign-Up Period by notifying their account manager. Once the Free Package Upgrade Offer commences the Offer Period starts and the Offer Period cannot be changed or paused.
  9. In respect of any Qualifying Advertisers who sign-up for the Free Package Upgrade Offer, if they give notice at any time after the commencement of the Sign-Up Period to: (a) cancel or downgrade their Package below the Baseline Package; and/or (b) reduce their contracted stock below the Baseline Stock, they will become ineligible for the Free Package Upgrade Offer.
  10. A Qualifying Advertiser shall only be entitled to take up the Free Package Upgrade Offer once during the Sign-Up Period. If a Qualifying Advertiser participates in this Free Package Upgrade Offer, they will not be eligible to participate in any other offer during the Sign-Up Period (including the Free Double Stock Offer and Free PPC Offer).
  11. The Package Upgrade is deemed a formal upgrade to the Qualifying Advertiser's Package in accordance with Main Advertising Terms and Conditions, unless the Qualifying Advertiser has given notice to downgrade. Qualifying Advertisers who do not wish to continue on the upgraded package at the end of the Offer Period must notify their account manager that they want to downgrade as soon as possible before the end of the Offer Period.
  12. Qualifying Advertisers shall ensure that individual sites within their group who are eligible for the Free Package Upgrade Offer shall comply with these Rules, and such Qualifying Advertisers shall be primarily liable for such individual sites in connection with these Rules.
  13. Communication regarding the Free Package Upgrade Offer may be received via email, Portal or from the Qualifying Advertiser's Account Manager.
  14. Any associated costs will be detailed via order confirmation and invoice.
  15. Autotrader reserves the right to allow or refuse to allow any Qualifying Advertiser to participate in the Free Package Upgrade Offer at its sole discretion, or to remove any Qualifying Advertiser from the Free Package Upgrade Offer if Autotrader determines the Qualifying Advertiser has outstanding late payments in respect of their Advertising Agreement (until such time as such outstanding amounts are paid).
  16. Qualifying Advertisers cannot advertise stock in connection with the Free Package Upgrade Offer on behalf of a third party or another dealer.
  17. Qualifying Advertisers that breach these Rules may be charged Autotrader's standard rate card for the duration of the Offer Period in respect of any Package Upgrade (including retrospectively).
  18. Autotrader reserves the right to make changes to these Rules at any time and shall give Qualifying Advertisers at least 15 days' notice of any such changes in accordance with clause 2.4 of the Main Advertising Terms and Conditions.
  19. Autotrader reserves the right to remove or extend this Free Package Upgrade Offer at any point with immediate effect.