Seller Frequently Asked Questions

• Q1. What are the requirements for selling on eBay Motors?

  To sell on eBay Motors all you need is a free seller's account. No credit card is required. We also suggest you have a digital camera handy to take photos of your vehicle.

• Q2. What are the fees for selling?

  There are low fixed fees for selling vehicles and featuring items on eBay Motors.

  • The insertion (listing) fee for listing vehicles on eBay Motors can start as low as $5 and varies depending on the vehicle type and starting or reserve price. And you only pay a fixed final fee if your vehicle successfully sells. You can also list as a Classified Ad for a flat $19.99. Twelve photos are also included free of charge for all vehicles, as well as several Upgrade Features - Gallery, Supersize, Picture Show, and Picture Pack. Learn more about fees.
  • Fees for items listed in the Car Parts and Accessories categories are the same as all other categories on eBay. Learn more about parts and accessories fees
  • 3. Listing upgrades that help drive sales (eg Featured Listings, Bold, Subtitle and additional photos) are available for a fee. Learn more about listing upgrades
• Q3. What's the best pricing strategy?

  Successful vehicle sellers typically use one of three pricing strategies on eBay Motors:

  • Auction with low start price and a reserve: The low start price (at say $1) helps entice buyers to bid on your vehicle. The reserve price ensures it's not undersold. Set the reserve at the minimum price you would accept.
  • Fixed price with Best Offer: This format is exclusive to eBay Motors. It allows you to sell your vehicle just as you would face-to-face, with the added convenience of an online transaction. Set the price at your desired amount and buyers can make offers. You can accept or reject any offer. Learn more about Best Offer
  • Auction with higher start price and no reserve: Reserves put some bidders off as they don't know how much you would accept. If you set the start price at the minimum price you would accept, buyers know if they decide to bid they could win.
• Q4. What length of time should I list my vehicle for?

  Because vehicles are higher priced items you need to give buyers enough time to consider their purchase. You have the option of 3, 5, 7, or 10 day auctions. But 7 or 10 day auctions tend to be better for vehicles. If you're using the fixed price format (with the Best Offer option) you can extend your listing to 14 days.

• Q5. What should I write in my listing?

  Unlike newspaper ads, there are no word limits for eBay listings. So you can provide comprehensive information without incurring extra fees. Put yourself in the buyer's shoes and consider what information you would need to be comfortable with buying a vehicle online.

  A good description includes a general description of the vehicle, a list of features, information on the car's history, why you are selling the car, and terms of sale. Be honest to a fault as this builds bidder trust and helps you get a higher price. Be thorough and clear. Check out an ideal listing

• Q6. How many photos should I include in my listing?

  The more photos you include the better! Remember, many potential buyers won't inspect your vehicle in person before taking action on your listing. So let them “kick the tyres” by including plenty of photos.

  The first 12 photos are free So ideally you should include at least 12 photos, including: exterior – left side, right side, front, rear, engine, close up of wheel, and interior – front seats, back seats, dashboard, odometer close up and photos of any damage. You can also select additional free picture upgrades such as Gallery, Supersize, Picture Show and Picture Pack.

  Check out the photos in an ideal listing

• Q7. What eBay features can help me sell my car at a good price?

  eBay's features can help give you a better chance of selling your car at a good price by making your listing stand out more. At a minimum, we highly recommend you use Picture Pack with 12 photos to let buyers see as much of your car as possible. Subtitles highlighting key selling points (eg sunroof, mag wheels, etc.) are also a great way of getting more attention. Learn more about listing upgrades

• Q8. Do I have to let the buyer test drive the car?

  There's no obligation to give the buyer a test drive. However, if one has been requested, and the buyer appears to be seriously considering purchasing your vehicle, a test drive may help close the sale.

• Q9. What price can I expect for my vehicle on eBay Motors?

  Private sellers typically get a similar price to selling through traditional channels with the added convenience of completing the sale online. To see what prices other sellers have achieved for similar vehicles, do a completed items search.

• Q10. What happens if my car doesn't sell?

  If the auction closes unsuccessfully, you can relist your car and the listing fee will be refunded if it sells. When you relist your car, consider lowering the price and improving the listing to include sufficient photos and details.

• Q11. What if someone offers to buy my vehicle outside eBay?

  eBay prohibits email offers to buy or sell listed items outside of the eBay website. Offers of this nature are a potential fraud risk for both buyers and sellers, and should be avoided. If you sell your vehicle outside of eBay, eBay can't assist if there's a dispute or take any action against the buyer. If you want to report a user who is attempting to buy an item outside of eBay, please refer to the Sales Outside of eBay page.

• Q12. What if the buyer doesn't pay for the item they've won?

  eBay reserves the right to take action against buyers who don't pay for items they've won. But sellers should contact the buyer first, and try to resolve any issues. If this is unsuccessful sellers can file an Unpaid Item dispute with eBay.

  eBay will attempt to get the buyer to complete the transaction and, failing that, may issue a strike on the buyer's account. Sellers with Unpaid Items under the Unpaid Item Dispute process are eligible for Final Value Fee credits.

  Also, if the item is relisted and sells the second time, eBay will refund the Insertion Fee for the relisting. Learn more about how the free relist policy works. Sellers may also have additional legal recourse available against the buyer in certain circumstances.