Get Tips for Shipping a Car Purchased on Ebay

30.11.2020

As more and more people start buying cars online, it is important to learn the process of buying a car on eBay and shipping a car that you purchased from eBay. Per eBay, over 5 million vehicles were sold throughout eBay motors as of 2016. You can only imagine the number is bigger now, as the number of people buying cars online is increasing more every year. In order to buy and ship a car from the website, you need to understand the process to make sure you are not being scammed.

First, let’s understand eBbay Motors. eBay Motors is a great website where you can buy a car and get it shipped directly to your address. The website is divided into many different criterias, but the ones mostly used are used and new vehicles. For used vehicles, eBbay lets both private sellers and dealerships to directly interact with the customer. That facilitates the car buying process. You can bid on used cars, or use the “buy now” button to directly buy the car from the private customer or dealership. When dealing with private sellers, be aware of the following:

• Ratings - eBay relies on seller ratings as a way to give credibility to the seller. The ratings are divided into a few sections. You are able to see how many positive, negative, and neutral ratings an user has. You can also see the categories for those ratings. If you want to buy a used car from a private seller, check out their ratings, make sure they are good and make sure they are car selling ratings. One can have positive ratings selling other items, but have negative ratings selling cars. If an user does not have any feedback, or little feedback, you might want to check something else out.
• Is the seller actually on eBay? Many other websites such as craigslist, will have vehicles listed as “eBay” sales. Those eBay sales are typically not backed by eBay. The seller is using the website's name to give himself or herself credibility to sell the car. Those sales are not protected by eBay Motors and you will most likely lose your money if the seller is not legit.
• The condition of the car- when you search for a specific car using eBay Motors, many vehicles will have a condition report based on the vehicle’s VIN number. Those reports are free and will give the buyer current information on the car. If the seller did not put the car condition report up, you will have a choice to buy the report. Check the report and see if it is accurate with the car description.
• Payment options - many legitimate sellers will use Escrow.com to give the buyer a safe option for payment. Escrow.com will hold the funds until the vehicle is delivered and inspected. Once the vehicle is inspected and in good condition, then they release the money to the seller and complete the transaction. eBay Motors also works with many financial institutions that can assist with financing. If a seller is requesting the full amount upfront without Escrow.com, it can be a redflag. Even though eBay Motors will assist you if you are scammed and protect your money, you want to avoid any redflags to make the eBay car buying process easier.

 

eBay Motors also works with private dealers. You can choose the perfect car for you, and eBay Motors will partner with a dealership that has your vehicle. From there on, you will deal with the dealership about the specific details and financing if needed.

 

Here are a few tips when buying a vehicle from eBay Motors:

1. Research the vehicle and options you want.
2. Know that used vehicles will have regular wear and tear.
3. If you know someone who lives near the dealership or seller, have them inspect the vehicle if possible to make sure it matches the description.
4. Check seller’s feedback and ratings.
5. Review all the additional costs from shipping to car maintenance.

 

You found your vehicle, now what? The vehicle you chose most likely will be out of state, what should you do next? Is there such a thing as an eBay vehicle shipping program? How does eBay car shipping work?

 

The short answer is no. There is no such thing as an eBay auto shipping program. Don’t worry! You have many options to get your car shipped to your home. eBay vehicle shipping essentially works the same as regular vehicle shipping but eBay has partners that will help you choose the right shipping agent. Those partners will give you a few options to choose from, with their feedback and prices. Here are a few tips to help you choose the right car shipping company and avoid eBay car shipping scams:

1. Look at all your options. eBay partners such as uShip, have great websites to help you filter the auto transport companies. Use those websites to look through feedback and ratings. Once you have a top five list, do further research. Many professional auto transport companies will have feedback in multiple websites - not just Google. Read those reviews! Some reviews should also mention “eBay Motors” or “eBay car purchase,” in them.
2. Always remember that eBay does not provide “eBay car shipping services,” or an “eBay car shipping program.” Therefore, there is no eBay auto transport policy. They will, however, have a “eBay car shipping calculator” that will help you to get a quote and estimate the cost of shipping. Those calculations are typically lower than the actual price, so keep in mind that the price might be a bit higher than what you see. eBay also does not have their own “eBay car shipping company,” so if you see that anywhere, redflag it!
3. eBay auto shipping cost - the cost will be affected by many different factors just like regular autompbile shipping. Those costs are typically paid by the buyer. It is rare that the shipping costs will be handled by the seller. If a seller is offering “free shipping,” look into it. It could be legit, as some private sellers and dealers are willing to cover the auto transport costs in order to sell the car. However, there are scams out there that will say “free shipping,” but when the driver arrives, nothing has been paid. Look into reviews and detailed feedback to make sure you do not fall into the trap. Talk to your auto transport company, and make sure everyone is on the same page. Here are a few things that will affect the auto transport cost:
   • Affected by location - metropolitan areas always cost less than those areas that are more rural and isolated.
   • Affected by the automobile’s condition. Operable automobiles will cost less to ship than those inoperable.
   • Affected by vehicle’s size. Regular size sedans will cost less than regular size SUVs. Bigger automobiles will cost more, and oversize autos will cost the most. Make sure to communicate with your vehicle shipping company and give all the details.
   • Affected by the time of the year you are shipping the car. Typically during the summer months, prices are higher, since the demand for drivers is high. The opposite typically happens in the winter months. Prices are typically lower because the demand for drivers is lower.
   • eBay car shipping costs will be affected by the demand for drivers. This is something the shipping companies should know - if snowbirds are moving south for the winter, the demand for drivers is high, so prices are higher. On the other hand, the demand for drivers going north is lower, so prices are lower too.

 How does eBay car shipping work?

Here is a summary of the steps you should take to choose a reliable auto transport company to ship your car:

1. Look at all your options.
2. Make a top five list.
3. Read reviews and feedback.
4. Make sure the company has done eBay shipments before.
5. Check out all the prices and options - do not choose solely based on price.
6. Communicate all the details to the service provider.