How to Sell A Car on eBay?

Sell the Car You Own, Buy the One You Dream

Every time I wanted to sell a car I owned, I used to go through a robust series of events. Having to publish an ad in the local newspaper and getting phone calls from unknown people. Then curious who just wanted to know small data and “why was I selling it?” I even got a relative calling me to see if my wife was pregnant and I needed money! All of that without mentioning that the capability of showing pictures of it was minimal if any.

That has changed drastically, and now the process that goes from the thought of turning your car into selling it has become way more straightforward and better. Which is the reason behind the change? eBay Motors. The virtual platform has grown to have 175 million active buyers, 250 million classified users, and 25 million sellers. That should be more than enough exposure for any four-wheel treasure. Besides the huge window, eBay offers so many different CarOptions and adds such high value to the process that is the place to go to sell a vehicle. Let´s see in detail.

Getting Started, Open A Free Account

To set things straight from the very beginning, I am close to being computer illiterate. When I decided to open my account, it happened that all my kids (I have three teenagers) were not around, so I decided to go for it and venture. If you know just a little about computers, you can skip this step because you probably already have one and opening an eBay account is a no-brainer. It took me fifteen minutes, and a cup of hot coffee and I had my username and were ready to upload my car´s ad.

Local or National

This is the first option to choose from when you are creating your ad. If your case is like mine and we´re not talking about a one-of-a-kind relic or challenging to find the car, you might want to go local. Let me tell you the differences:

Local

Ad listing is free of charge.
Covers an area of 200 miles around the address you publish.
The maximum amount of pictures is 24.

National

The zip code does not restrict buyers.
The listing fee to be paid upfront just for uploading your car´s ad.
The maximum amount of photos depends on the plan you choose.
If you are selling an immaculate ´67 Camaro that can find potential buyers in any part of the country, you should go national. It is not cheap, but with the price of the vehicle you´re trying to sell it shouldn´t be a problem.

Buyer Protection Plan

This is an excellent addition to eBay Motors because buyers feel more comfortable knowing that there is an intermediary to call if something goes wrong between buyer and seller. Improving the level of trust when making a transaction that involves a lot of money is always a great idea. The minute I read about it I was taken to the old days in which all the trust was a good old handshake and the word of a trusted mechanic.

Sellers also benefit from eBay´s BPP because it gives buyers an extra CarWarranty. Although it is an extra step to go to for troubles it does not cover buyer and seller remorse. If everything went ok it is time to close that chapter of your life and move on to the next.

Number of eBay’s active users from 1st quarter 2010 to 2nd quarter 2018 (in millions)

Certified Pre-Owned Program

Can your car qualify for this program? Well, your car needs to have low CarMileage and be in excellent CarCondition. What is this program exactly? Cars that are CPO certified have been either inspected or refurbished by manufacturers or large sellers and are offered with an extra CarWarranty. This gives huge peace of mind to buyers since it is the closest thing to buying a brand new car. Prices go up compared to regular used cars but are comparatively lower than buying one at a regular car shop.

Let´s go now into the tips for selling from an ad-creation perspective.

It Is All About the Pictures!

Better than receiving those anonymous calls to ask me if the upholstered was ok or scratched, I uploaded 24 high definition pictures that I took with my phone and showed bit by bit all the nuances of the car. I´m not going to lie, I took the photos from the best angle and highlighted the color as well as the curves of my car. Bright sun on the roof and a fresh polish did the rest. Also, I took very detailed shots of all the inside features, seats, wheels and so on. Pay a lot of attention to the pictures; they are the presentation card of your car.

I got some calls after uploading all pictures and the ad itself asking me about some of the details and specs. It was a real treat to be able to answer them with something like: “If you look at picture six, you will see that…” Besides, I didn´t have to open the door of my house to strangers at all.

Interaction is the Key

As annoying as it might sound, the first days of the ad I got close to ten phone calls to ask me about the car. Boy was I excited about it! You might think that it is a real pain and not very different from a newspaper ad, but actually, it was very different since all buyers were very well informed about the car and asked me very particular questions. So stand by your phone and interact with them so they can evacuate their doubts. Those who are interested will go on the process and show up to see it at your front door.

Conclusion

If you happen to be an old-school person like me who skeptical about the use of the internet for handling significant sums of money, you´re missing on a huge sales channel. I eventually sold my car, and the buyer was great, came by after arranging over the phone, we did a money transaction inside my house, and today I am going out to buy my new car. I stopped to type these lines so that others like me can lose their fear and enjoy the benefits of the 21st century.

Also, Check How to sell your car on eBay motors

Checklist How to sell your vehicle on ebay