Selling Your Car Successfully On eBay - By Mark Kenny

eBay (UK) now sells more cars than Autotrader. If your not based in the UK, Autotrader is a dedicated weekly magazine which contains thousands of classified vehicle adverts each with a colour photo & detailed description.

Despite the massive success eBay have achieved with vehicle sales it's a fact to say a large percentage go unsold, as they do not attract enough attention, do not reach there reserve price or the sale falls though for an unknown reason.

So, if your considering selling a car though eBay what can increase your chances of a successful sale. As a car is a massive purchase for most users it's absolutely essential to include two elements to your item description.

Lets start with the description. Your item description should everything about the car including any known faults, scratches or marks. Is there anything in the car that should be working but doesn't? Any warning lights being displayed on the dashboard?

Don't think that because you've got use to a minor problem, the next owner will think it's acceptable. This attitude could cost you a sale. I've known someone recently, win a car on eBay - when they turned up it had no radio fitted so the winning bidder walked away from the deal.

The listing did not even specify the car had a radio fitted, but in reality we assume that almost 100% of cars have some kind of radio fitted. With the seller not specifying the lack of radio, the winning bidder felt he'd been lied to.

What's the mileage on the car? & is it still being used while until it is sold. If it is, then specify this in the listing as the mileage may be slightly higher when someone comes to view it.

Equally important are photos of the interior, exterior, & engine Bay. Don't be shy to use photos and don't limit it to just one or two - take photographs from every side of the car.

It is simply not worth listing your car without photographing it. If you do not have a digital camera, then try to borrow one from a friend or a colleague.

In a rare exception, when selling a car on eBay I strongly recommend using the Featured Plus option. This option will place your car at the top of the relevant category. I'm still testing many aspects of Featured Plus, though out eBay categories but my own sales in this area have increased bidding by upto 21% - well worth the upgraded listing fee of £9.95.

"We don't sell many cars on eBay, it's more of a platform we use to advertise cars and then conclude the sale away from eBay", an unnamed eBay powerseller tells me. eBay generally frown upon this practice as they lose revenue through final sales fees.

However, a car is a purchase that most users will view before bidding so a bigger opportunity exists to conclude the deal away from eBay, saving yourself money and time.

Finally, be sure to include a phone number in your listing, allowing interested parties the opportunity to contact you for a quick, easy sale.

About the Author

Mark Kenny has written two ebooks on eBay and hundreds of auction articles which have been syndicated worldwide. You can read Mark Kennys blog at http://www.Trading-Web-Solutions.com or visit his eBay forum at AuctionCUT.com