Motor Vehicle Trading Standards

eBay Motors Tips from an eBay University Instructor

How did you sell your last car? Did you trade it in at a dealership, ashamed to tell others what the dealer gave you on trade? Did you sell it out in front of your home with a “For Sale” sign in the windshield? Likely you had visitors at dinnertime wanting to see the car, then after taking up the dinner hour offered you a fraction of what you were asking. Or did you spend $75 on an ad in the local paper? You may wait for days for a phone call that only comes when you’re out getting the mail. Face it, it’s frustrating to get rid of ol’ Betsy sometimes.

eBay Motors began in 2000 and since that time has become the world’s largest used car marketplace. On an average day a Chevy sells every minute, a Mustang every 39 minutes, an SUV every 9 minutes. eBay has over 12 million unique visitors each month. How does that compare to your local paper or the street on which you are trying to sell your car?

Since eBay Motors has become such a robust marketplace for buying and selling vehicles it seems helpful to point out a few differences about selling in this portion of the site. Selling a pickup is different than selling a mixer or vintage Barbie. Here are some helpful tips for selling a vehicle.

Write a great sub-title. – When you enter the VIN (vehicle identification number) of your vehicle certain attributes will be automatically entered for your listing. Things such as the make, model, year, and body style will be included. Since eBay does this for you, you will not have to include these things in your title. If you search for a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu eBay’s search engine searches these attributes and pulls the proper results. Beyond those attributes however you’ll want to use the best keywords possible. When writing your sub-title include such things as color, options (leather, DVD, navigation, CD, heated seats), also include things such as Low Miles, Clean, No Reserve, 4X4, or other things that specifically describe the car. This sub-title is the most important piece of real estate on your listing. Use the words wisely, avoid words like WOW! or L@@K! No one searches for words like that.
Tell a story with your description. – People really want to know where the car’s been. Plus a story gives the vehicle a bit of a personality to the bidder. It makes them remember it. “This was my first car…; My wife and I had this car since we were married. Now we are expecting a baby so we have to part with it…” and so on.
Be detailed in your inspection of the vehicle. – If there is a light scratch on the front left corner of the bumper, mention it. If there is a chip in the windshield, mention it. Very rarely will we find a vehicle that is truly “Excellent”. Most are “Good” and should be rated accordingly. It shows you have a realistic view of the vehicle and gives you credibility with potential bidders.

Use a listing template. – A listing template from a third party such as CarAd (www.carad.com) will give your listing a professional look. They usually involve a small additional fee, however the added benefits are well worth it. They will allow you to add more photos that eBay Motors’ standard Sell Your Item form which only allows room for 12 photos. That brings us to another point…

Use from 30 to 35 photos in your vehicle listing. – It may seem like a lot of photos, but you’re asking someone to drop thousands of dollars here. You are their eyes in this transaction. A simple formula for most of the photos is just do what you’d do when buying a car. You’ll look at it from all angles, inside and out. You’d look at the dashboard, check the driver’s seat for tears, look in the trunk, and under the hood. You can take a photo straight on from each side, front and rear. Then take one from each corner of the vehicle. Show the tire tread, good or bad – show it. The buyer will not be pleased if they arrive after flying for hours and find you were not clear in your description. A picture is worth a thousand words. Thirty photos are worth thirty thousand words.

State your terms and conditions. – Even a private seller has terms and conditions. State clearly what you expect with regard to payment methods (a wire transfer is safest) and payment timing. Many dealers require a deposit, you may do so as well. If you want payment in full within 36 hours or will allow 72 hours that’s fine, just state it so the buyer knows what to expect.

Offer to help your buyer. – Approximately 70% of buyers will either drive or fly to your area to pick up the vehicle personally. The other 30% will have the vehicle shipped. You can help your buyer by offering directions, or a ride from the airport. If they are having the vehicle shipped, you can agree to work with their shipper when he arrives.

Let them choose the shipper. – If the winning bidder wants to ship the vehicle, you may be better off letting them choose the shipper. You can recommend sites like www.auto-transport-reviews.com to help them in their choice. If you have little experience with shippers this is the

best choice. Your Feedback is on the line with this transaction and if you choose the shipper, and that shipper is very slow or damages the vehicle, you may take the hit with negative feedback since you recommended the company. One company that eBay Motors has a close relationship with is DAS or Dependable Auto Shippers. They have a nationwide network of facilities and partners to deliver a vehicle right to a person’s door.

COMMUNICATE with your bidders. – One of the most common mistakes a new seller on eBay Motors makes is thinking eBay does all the selling for them. An automobile is different. Be responsive to emails answering them in a timely manner. Also, you may want to include a phone number in your listing. Most people who buy a vehicle on eBay will have had one or more conversations with the seller, unlike transactions on the rest of the site. When someone bids on your vehicle you become ‘involved in a transaction’ with that person. At that time according to eBay’s User Agreement you may exchange contact information with that user. Proactively contact your bidders to introduce yourself and offer to answer any questions or provide additional photos if they desire.

Use the Second Chance Offer. – If bidding on your vehicle does not reach your reserve price but comes close, consider using the Second Chance Offer. You may contact the bidder and see how close they’ll come to your asking price. If you can agree on a price go to the listing or to you’re My eBay page and click the Second Chance Offer link. You will be prompted to choose one of your bidders and enter a price. Enter the agreed price for your buyer and send the offer. He will then receive his own personal “Buy It Now” listing for your car and have the opportunity to close the deal. SOLD!!

One other important aspect to selling a vehicle on eBay Motors is having a sound pricing strategy. While most vehicles are listed with a reserve price it’s vital to set that price at the lowest price you’ll accept for the vehicle. Bidders get excited once the reserve price has been met and the bidding frenzy begins.

There is much to say about auction strategies and pricing strategies on eBay Motors. We will cover those topics in more detail in a future article. For the first time seller though, the tips above should prove very helpful and you will have much less stressful time selling ol’ Betsy.

Visit www.OnlineSalesIdeas.com for more information and eBay tips & news.

About the Author

Steve Lindhorst is a Powerseller, former eBay employee, and an eBay University Instructor. He has also helped teach Online Trading through articles and TV inteviews. Visit
www.OnlineSalesIdeas.com
for more eBay news and tips.

Sale of Motor Vehicles in North America …

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