eBay Motors seems almost like its own little country on the planet eBay. And while many sellers are comfortable with eBay as a whole, even experienced sellers can be intimidated when it comes to selling vehicles.
We've sold a couple online, and we have to admit we used Craigslist. It just seemed easier and less intimidating.
Yet, as we learned through our interview with an eBay Motors representative, more than 5 million "passenger vehicles" have been sold through eBay Motors. So obviously, a lot of people are comfortable with the idea of selling (and buying) vehicles on eBay. What follows is deeper look into eBay Motors.
A car or truck is sold every two minutes on eBay Motors as of (2013's third quarter). More than 5 million passenger vehicles have been sold to date on the site
Parts 1 and 2 of this series cover eBay Motors from the company's perspective. We'll learn about the scope of the opportunity, what sells on the site and more.
We'll also discuss the startling data on the number of recalled vehicles that are sold online without being fixed. In Part 3 we interview sellers who have used eBay Motors and share some of their tips.
By the numbers
Schepp: eBay Motors is in some ways the largest vehicle dealership on earth by far. How many vehicles are listed on the site?
eBay Motors rep: As of April 22, there were more than 52,400 vehicle listings on eBay Motors. For additional context, a car or truck is sold every two minutes on eBay Motors as of (2013's third quarter). More than 5 million passenger vehicles have been sold to date on the site.
Schepp: What's the breakdown between new and used vehicle listings?
eBay Motors rep: Sellers leverage eBay Motors to sell both new and used vehicles. In fact, more than 17 percent of dealer listings are for new vehicles. As of April 22, more than 12,500 vehicle listings were for new vehicles; more than 39,600 listings were for used or certified pre-owned vehicles.
Schepp: What kinds of cars sell best on the site?
eBay Motors rep: eBay Motors provides both buyers and sellers with the advantages of a large marketplace, including the ability for buyers to search for available vehicles from around the country to find the exact vehicle they are looking for. A wide variety of vehicles are sold on eBay Motors, from new vehicles to pre-owned vehicles and classic cars.
Focus in on features that are likely to be important to buyers. We recommend posting at least 40 high-quality photos to give the shopper a complete view of the vehicle
For instance:
- A passenger vehicle sells every two minutes on eBay Motors.
- A Ford Mustang sells every 55 minutes.
- A motorcycle sells every 10 minutes.
- A car and truck is bought via mobile every five minutes on eBay mobile apps (as of January).
Rev up for success
Schepp: What can sellers do to help their chances of a sale?
eBay Motors rep: The amount and type of detail included in the online listing is most important in securing a successful sale. For instance:
Schepp: How are sales handled in terms of escrow?
eBay Motors rep: eBay provides consumers with tips for shopping for a vehicle safely online. For instance:
- Research and inspect the car. Go beyond the information in the vehicle listing. Take advantage of vehicle history reports to be certain of mileage and vehicle condition. Review the title and hire an inspection service to look at the car prior to purchase.
- Check the person's background. Buyers should examine the seller's feedback, ratings and comments. Communicate directly with the seller by phone or through secure channels like the My eBay Message center to ensure correspondence is authentic.
- Never send payments via wire transfer and report suspicious activity. Never use Western Union, MoneyGram or other wire services; bank-to-bank transfers are OK. If you plan to pay in cash, do so in person and obtain a receipt. For more information, visit ebay.com/tips.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series, where we learn more about eBay Motors, including how eBay handles car recalls. This is an important issue as a recent Washington Post article cited CARFAX statistics that showed that up to one-third of cars sold online are sold without being fixed.
Brad and Debra Schepp are the authors of 20 books, including eBay PowerSeller Secrets and The
Official Alibaba.com Success Guide: Insider Tips and Strategies for Sourcing Products from the World's Largest B2B Marketplace. Their most recent book, which Deb co-authored with John Lawson, Kick Ass Social Commerce for E-preneurs: It's Not About Likes—It's About Sales, was recently named the 2015 Small Business Book of the Year in the social media category.
For further information, visit Brad and Deb's website, bradanddeb.com.
Opinions expressed here may not be shared by Auctiva Corp. and/or its principals.
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