Selling Cars on eBay Get your automotive business in gear with help from eBay Motors.
By Janelle Elms
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
EBay Motors has become the online leader of automotive business, with gross merchandise volume surpassing $17 billion a year. It consistently ranks as Nielsen//NetRating's No. 1 automotive website and helps users sell significantly more cars every day before 9 a.m. than an average dealership sells in a year.
Tom Hergert, 26, a Gold Power-Seller on eBay, turned his passion for classic cars into a full-time eBay business. "Selling cars and car parts on eBay is a whole different ballgame," says Hergert, whose Everett, Washington-based company, Tall-zag, specializes in selling Mopar cars and parts. "Where else can you pay $80 to have millions of people see your car?"
At http://pages.motors.ebay.com/howto/overview.html, you'll find guides on how to buy and sell cars using eBay as a dealer. eBay has even created an eBay Motors checklistto assist in selling vehicles.
eBay provides many programs to help instill a level of safety, security and confidence in your potential buyers, who purchase almost 1,500 cars on the site every day. The eBay Motors Vehicle Protection Programsinclude:
Purchase Protection.The buyer's vehicle is protected for up to $20,000 against fraud and material misrepresentation.
Condition Guarantee by Seller.By putting this seal in passenger vehicle listings, you guarantee that the vehicle condition is as described. It also promises that you agree to work with the buyer to ensure his or her satisfaction.
Free Roadside Assistance for Collector Cars.If your vehicle is 25 years or older, your buyer is eligible to receive 30 days of free roadside assistance.
Vehicle History Report.This allows your buyer to run a history on the vehicle to ensure any previous damage is disclosed.
Vehicle Inspection.For less than $100 on most vehicles, you can provide an online, 150-point inspection for your potential buyers.
Some other considerations to keep in mind when selling vehicles include:
Fees(http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/motorfees.html). For parts and accessories, the fees remain the same as eBay.com insertion fees. For cars, trucks, RVs and boats, there is a flat insertion fee of $40, with a $30 to $40 transaction services fee at the time of the first bid on a listing. For watersports vehicles and motor-cycles, there's a $30 insertion fee and a $30 transaction services fee.
Financing.At the eBay Financing Center, buyers receive assistance in getting loans for their vehicles. Prosperis another venue for funding--and it's not just for buyers. Many sellers are also using Prosper to acquire additional capital for inventory.
Vehicle Shipping.Because 71 percent of vehicles sold on eBay Motors are delivered to buyers outside the sellers' state, you need to have shipping options in place. Das, as well as Uship, are reliable solutions for shipping vehicles. Freightquotecan assist you with shipping your parts and accessories.
With some direction from eBay Motors, you'll be on the road to success in no time.
Janelle Elms, eBay University instructor and online business consultant, specializes in coaching individuals and companies to build successful eBay businesses and maximize their profits. Contact her at www.janelleelms.com.
