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See the strategy that helped a leading finance broker influence buyers on carsales
July 1, 2026
How connecting the full buyer journey drove real campaign performance
Car buying rarely happens in a straight line and our latest research shows that two‑thirds of buyers think about finance early1, around half adjust their budget along the way2, and 63% pause or revisit decisions before purchasing3. These shifts play out over weeks or months, not days4.
The challenge of this is that much of the early and mid-journey influence is difficult to see. Modern privacy settings and device restrictions mean around 60% of mobile and app activity is no longer visible after 24 hours5. With 62% of carsales’ audience using mobile and app environments6, many genuine touchpoints can slip out of standard reporting.
This disconnect makes it harder for teams to understand what influence their campaign had early on, and what helped buyers move forward. A leading finance provider set out to bridge this gap. They wanted to reach buyers earlier and get a clearer view of how their activity on carsales contributed to outcomes on their own website.
A combined approach that follows the way people shop
One finance provider implemented carsales CAPI through Ignition to better understand what buyers did after seeing or clicking their activity on the carsales network. It gives teams visibility of both post-view and post-click behaviour in one place, helping them understand how interest builds and where buyers take action.
How the campaign worked
The strategy was built around the natural way people research, compare and decide:
Build early consideration
By partnering with carsales mediahouse, the finance provider placed finance information inside editorial content where buyers are forming early ideas about what they want.
Support decisions as buyers compare options
Finance messaging appeared in relevant listings, giving buyers helpful context as they explored cars and budgets.
Encourage action at the right time
Targeted eDMs and push notifications were used when intent was higher, guiding buyers towards their next step.
The activity was supported by carsales CAPI predictive audience retargeting and measurement and AI buyer‑stage segments, all through Ignition.
A clearer picture of the campaign’s true impact
By partnering with carsales mediahouse, this finance provider was able to unlock insights that traditional tools may have missed. This visibility helped show the role each touchpoint played in moving buyers forward.
What stood out was how often early and mid-journey activity translated into meaningful action on their website. People who saw or interacted with the campaign went on to request valuations, make enquiries, and complete finance applications. it's a clear sign the strategy resonated and this provides the team with more insights to help support future decision making.
The takeaway
The finance provider now has a clearer view of how their activity on carsales has contributed to real outcomes and the confidence that comes with accurate measurement. With carsales CAPI in place, the team can see what’s working across the journey and where buyers are taking action.
Want the same level of visibility for your campaigns? Talk to our team to learn how carsales CAPI can help your brand measure and improve performance across the full buyer journey.
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Sourcing
1. Australia's Car Buyer Report, 2026, conducted by Nature, Sep 2025, n=2,008. Those who were delayed in making finance decision, n=427 F1C. When did you start thinking about how you would pay for your vehicle? F1C1. What, if anything, stopped you from arranging finance sooner?
2. Australia's Car Buyer Report, 2026, conducted by Nature, Sep 2025, n=2,008. Those who set a budget for the purchase of their vehicle, n=1,494 F1A. Do you have a budget in mind for your vehicle purchase? F1B2. Has your budget changed since you first started your vehicle buying process?
3. Australia's Car Buyer Report, 2026, conducted by Nature, Sep 2025, n=2,008. Q9. At any point during your vehicle purchase process did you stop or pause? Did you go backwards, start-over or re-evaluate your decision? Q11. At what point in your purchase process did you stop, pause, start-over or re-evaluate?
4. Australia's Car Buyer Report, 2026, conducted by Nature, 2025 Recent owners, n=504. 2025 Recent owners, Thinking about each stage of the journey so far, how much time, approximately, have you spent at each stage below?
5. DemandSage, Android & iOS App Statistics (2025 Update). https://www.demandsage.com/android-statistics/
6. Google Analytics, average total mobile audience, Jul-Dec 2025.
How the campaign worked
The strategy was built around the natural way people research, compare and decide:
Build early consideration
By partnering with carsales mediahouse, the finance provider placed finance information inside editorial content where buyers are forming early ideas about what they want.
Support decisions as buyers compare options
Finance messaging appeared in relevant listings, giving buyers helpful context as they explored cars and budgets.
Encourage action at the right time
Targeted eDMs and push notifications were used when intent was higher, guiding buyers towards their next step.
The activity was supported by carsales CAPI predictive audience retargeting and measurement and AI buyer‑stage segments, all through Ignition.
A clearer picture of the campaign’s true impact
By partnering with carsales mediahouse, this finance provider was able to unlock insights that traditional tools may have missed. This visibility helped show the role each touchpoint played in moving buyers forward.
What stood out was how often early and mid-journey activity translated into meaningful action on their website. People who saw or interacted with the campaign went on to request valuations, make enquiries, and complete finance applications. it's a clear sign the strategy resonated and this provides the team with more insights to help support future decision making.
The takeaway
The finance provider now has a clearer view of how their activity on carsales has contributed to real outcomes and the confidence that comes with accurate measurement. With carsales CAPI in place, the team can see what’s working across the journey and where buyers are taking action.
Want the same level of visibility for your campaigns? Talk to our team to learn how carsales CAPI can help your brand measure and improve performance across the full buyer journey.
Sourcing
1. Australia's Car Buyer Report, 2026, conducted by Nature, Sep 2025, n=2,008. Those who were delayed in making finance decision, n=427 F1C. When did you start thinking about how you would pay for your vehicle? F1C1. What, if anything, stopped you from arranging finance sooner?
2. Australia's Car Buyer Report, 2026, conducted by Nature, Sep 2025, n=2,008. Those who set a budget for the purchase of their vehicle, n=1,494 F1A. Do you have a budget in mind for your vehicle purchase? F1B2. Has your budget changed since you first started your vehicle buying process?
3. Australia's Car Buyer Report, 2026, conducted by Nature, Sep 2025, n=2,008. Q9. At any point during your vehicle purchase process did you stop or pause? Did you go backwards, start-over or re-evaluate your decision? Q11. At what point in your purchase process did you stop, pause, start-over or re-evaluate?
4. Australia's Car Buyer Report, 2026, conducted by Nature, 2025 Recent owners, n=504. 2025 Recent owners, Thinking about each stage of the journey so far, how much time, approximately, have you spent at each stage below?
5. DemandSage, Android & iOS App Statistics (2025 Update). https://www.demandsage.com/android-statistics/
6. Google Analytics, average total mobile audience, Jul-Dec 2025.
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