Selling Cars Online

Selling a car online is not such a bad idea after all. If online transactions have changed human perceptions towards trading cars, then it’s sure sensible and wise to strike the deal online. This article will help you watch your moves, without being fooled by shams, and win yourself a fair car deal for selling/buying cars online, and editing service.

To start with, there are various dot com avenues for trading cars, for both used cars and new. It can be the local online classifieds, direct online purchase options from car dealers, and manufacturers, or it can be independent online brokers. By far, customers have had no complaints with the authenticity and accuracy of selling/buying cars from local online classifieds, and online trade with dealers/manufacturers. It is, however, the online brokering of cars that seems to have created a skirmish in the auto industry today.

Unlike direct transactions, going about selling cars by online brokers is a different ballgame altogether. Their offers are catchy, and claim to be instant, and hassle-free. Online brokers sell cars by convenience and variety; they very often provide cheap rates to customers upfront, and then contact dealers to obtain the car. For this they have a happening network of car dealers across the country.

Online brokers say that they cash in on selling new cars for cheaper rates, for sheer build-up of sales volumes. Car dealers, who they are in contact with, are also benefitted by this understanding. So, even these online brokers as middlemen get a fair cut. Like Senek O’ Brain, a bank employee in South Carolina, for example, claims that he saved a whopping $5,500 on buying a brand new Lexus GX470 SUV. Once his credit report and car loans were in place, he says, all he did was to work around some sensible bids, and strategies and bag the deal. On the flip side, there have been several cases wherein online brokers have promised the moon to unsuspecting customers, but sold junk.

There are a good number of car brokers selling cars online. These are established sites, which have almost every make and model of cars. Some sites allow customers to make comparisons of various vehicles. Their sites offer invoice pricing, and rebate rates. Their sites offer inspection reports certifying the condition of the vehicles. Some even make arrangements for third-party inspection of the desired vehicle. If a customer agrees to buy a vehicle, some online brokers even oblige to make arrangements for the delivery of the vehicle. Until such time, the customers can even hold the payment until the vehicle is received and approved.

These sites, one would understand, display an endless list of positive feedback reports from satisfied customers. Online broker sales of vehicle account for a small but significant chunk of car sales—of an estimated 22 million cars annually—and the number, it is learnt, is on the rise. In one of the surveys conducted, most of their customers said they had been referred to the online car brokering site by friends and relatives.

It seems to be a trend these days that many sites are turning out to be referral sites for consumers. Online brokers simply email a lead to consumers, as they (consumers) prefer to transact directly with the dealer. A few other online car brokers are smarter. They buy the dealership themselves.

Meanwhile it is becoming more and more apparent in the market today that dealers, and manufacturers are going hammer and tongs with online car brokers. This trend is mostly fueled by the fact that dealers and manufacturers face consumer protection issues, as the car sales are brokered by third persons, in the virtual world. Brokered car sales also face the threat of having the new vehicle warranty voided or that relevant information about the new car may not be registered in the manufacturer’s database.

It is said that manufacturers have been dashing off warning letters to dealers, not to sell their cars directly to online brokers, or brokers in general as such sales violate dealer franchisee agreements. This seems to be the grouse particularly of online units of auto manufacturers. Manufacturers can find reasons to financially punish car dealers if found transacting with online car brokers.

Now how about selling a car to online brokers? This section online is well enabled as well. Relevant sections are provided to list and provide information about your car. The site evaluates your car and enlists it to their e-shoppers.

Whatever your requirement—buying or selling, used car or new car—there are several stand alone online links that tip you off for good deals. They even talk about what to bring to a dealership, how to read dealer invoices, trade-ins, negotiating tips and practically everything on how to avoid scams.