Buy or Sell a Car Online

Very few people today can say that, at one time or another, they have not made an online or Internet purchase. Many of us have also sold our used items including books, jewelry, and couches on line through one of the online sellers. So, it should not be a surprise that you can buy or sell a car on line. Sell your car through three major online players - eBay, AutoTrader and Craigslist.

Steps

Buy or Sell a Car Through eBay

  1. Choose the biggest of the three online Internet sellers - eBay. Of course, you must have an eBay account. It only takes a few minutes to establish an account and it is not difficult.
  2. Remember that this is an online auction, and success depends on the bidders and the selling option you choose. Take advantage of the tools available and add a picture of the vehicle.
    • eBay offers two methods of purchase. The "buy it now" option allows the seller to post the he will take to cancel the auction and sell the car outright. This is a good method in that it gets you the price you want for the car. The second purchase method is to establish a reserve price, which is the minimum for which you will let it go and let the auction go as far as it will. It is a gamble based on a bidding war that gets you the optimal price for your car with the safety of it not selling for less than your minimum price.
    • A disadvantage of eBay is that you will have to pay a listing fee to list your car and then an auction fee for selling the car. You pay the listing fee even if you do not sell the car. The auction fee is a percentage based on the amount of the sale.
  3. Take advantage of buying on line with eBay because the cost is all on the seller. The only fees you pay would be if you use PayPal, the preferred method of payment on eBay. The downside is that you rarely get to see the vehicle you are buying until it is yours. Always check the seller's approval percentage of happy contacts. Think twice about buying from them if it is less than 90 percent.

Buy or Sell a Car Through AutoTrader

  1. Consider AutoTrader, which is an online seller of anything vehicular or transportation related. The Internet portion of AutoTrader supports the magazine.
    • Unlike eBay, there is no auction part to AutoTrader. There are only advertisement listing charges, and these all fall on the seller.
    • You can submit your own photos to appear with the ad as with eBay. AutoTrader will walk you through the process of uploading a photo.
  2. Use the website's search engine to narrow the vehicles available at the price and condition you want when you are buying. Then, contact the seller and make your deal.

Buy or Sell a Car Through Craigslist

  1. Get a free listing with Craigslist. This online site is like eBay in some ways in that it has a little of everything. It is like AutoTrader in that it is not an auction. For some, this is the best way to pursue selling or buying a car without the pressure of a used car salesman.
    • To sell on Craigslist, it is required that you list the vehicle using the website's database. This allows you to show as much, or as little, information as you want to reveal on the car you are selling. You can either leave your phone number on the listing or provide an email address routed through the Craigslist server. Email is best if you want to maintain a certain distance from buyers until you are ready to make the deal. Be aware that, for some commercial accounts, you may have listing fees.
    • The standard image uploader provided on craigslist results in small low quality images to save craigslist bandwidth. For nice large images, first post to listhd.com, then post the provided html (which includes your images) to the craigslist description field.
  2. Log onto the site when you buy from Craigslist and then use its search engine to find the vehicle of your choice at the condition and price you want to pay. All that is left is to contact the seller by phone or through the Craigslist email server.



Tips

  • The best source of that interest will come from the photos supplied with your listing. Be generous and pay a little more for posting more than just the basic photo. Note that listhd.com can be used to show nice photos of your car for both ebay and craigslist.
  • Take time to review the paperwork before you hand over the money. Make sure you have all the documentation before you close the deal. Know what it takes to get a car registered in your state - particularly if bringing it in from another state.
  • Know the vehicle you are looking for, how you are going to pay and how to get it home (particularly if in another state). The process is a whole lot easier and will give you more peace of mind when you have had an opportunity to test drive it before you buy.
  • Selling on eBay, AutoTrader and Craigslist is not difficult, but creating interest in your vehicle is up to you. Make sure you wash and clean the car inside and out. Go over the car, and list any problems it may have.

Warnings

  • Buying and selling online through any source requires even more due diligence relating to the old saying "buyer beware." Do your research and make sure all the paperwork has been completed on the title. Make sure all fees and associated costs are covered. Remember: "all sales are final."

Things You'll Need

  • Personal computer
  • Digital camera
  • Internet connection
  • eBay membership.

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References

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