Ebay Motors advice needed - first time selling a car

mwddrwg

Morning all,

I'm an experienced ebay seller/buyer (500+ 100%) but this is the first time I've used ebay motors to sell a car. The car is an old one but low mileage and only on for £250 starting price in an auction listing. No current MOT or tax (but never failed an MOT).

No bids until today when I get one from a person with zero feedback. I thought I'd blocked these buyers but anyway, does this ring any alarm bells do you think? I hear so many stories of scams and such. The bidder has not contacted me for more info or offered to come to view the car before the auction ends.

How does the process work when selling a car? I've listed it with all faults I know about but is it easier for them to claim SNAD with cars given all the faults that may crop up later? Terrified of them asking for a refund for any reason.

Any advice or cautionary tales appreciated

Flyonthewall

Everyone has to start somewhere and you can't block those with 0 feedback. Not everyone with 0 feedback will a scammer, same as not everyone with 100's of positive feedback is a good buyer.

Anyway, cars would be collection only so be sure to only accept cash.

I assume cars works the same as any other collection item on ebay. The buyer inspects, decides whether to pay and if they do then they will usually lose any case they may open as they had the chance to look at it properly and a choice not to buy upon collecting it.

onetwothree123

But also, a buyer could have 500+ feedbacks and still be a complaining or indeed scamming sod.

But then again, the car sounds like a bit of a wreck lol, its on cheap so will attract a lot of folk who want a run around, will just join ebay to bid for it, at the end of the day there is no comeback once it sells.

If you put on ad BIDDERS with less than 10 feedbacks to ring or email me before bidding or I will cancel your bids.

You can cancel their bids and place a block on them, if they don't call etc , but put your mobile number on ad, and say "inspection welcome prior to bidding " usually people go view cars and make an offer on the spot and you can cancel the ebay advert at any time without explanation !

Vehicles sales are exempt from ebay cases being opened anyway .

Take cash in hand, and don't bother with paypal or deposits, people only do that at big franchises, you are a private seller and dont "keep " cars for people to come back to in a week. Be firm., your ad will attract a lot of wallies.

mwddrwg

Flyonthewall wrote: »

Everyone has to start somewhere and you can't block those with 0 feedback. Not everyone with 0 feedback will a scammer, same as not everyone with 100's of positive feedback is a good buyer.

Anyway, cars would be collection only so be sure to only accept cash.

I assume cars works the same as any other collection item on ebay. The buyer inspects, decides whether to pay and if they do then they will usually lose any case they may open as they had the chance to look at it properly and a choice not to buy upon collecting it.

I was thinking that accepting cash would be the safest way but am I allowed to take the Paypal option away? It's an auction listing so I thought Paypal HAD to be an option?? And isn't a bid sort-of indicating an agreement to buy anyway before they've even seen the car?

So many questions! :rotfl:Sorry!

mwddrwg

onetwothree123 wrote: »

But also, a buyer could have 500+ feedbacks and still be a complaining or indeed scamming sod.

But then again, the car sounds like a bit of a wreck lol, its on cheap so will attract a lot of folk who want a run around, will just join ebay to bid for it, at the end of the day there is no comeback once it sells.

If you put on ad BIDDERS with less than 10 feedbacks to ring or email me before bidding or I will cancel your bids.

You can cancel their bids and place a block on them, if they don't call etc , but put your mobile number on ad, and say "inspection welcome prior to bidding " usually people go view cars and make an offer on the spot and you can cancel the ebay advert at any time without explanation !

Vehicles sales are exempt from ebay cases being opened anyway .

Very true, anyone can be a scammer lol!

I have put on the ad that inspection is welcome before the end of the auction but I've recieved a bid before they've asked to come and view. What worries me is that they can buy the car through Paypal, take it away and find other faults and claim SNAD, whereas I've been very (very!) honest in describing it in fine detail. It's far from being a shed lol :rotfl:

Flyonthewall

mwddrwg wrote: »

I was thinking that accepting cash would be the safest way but am I allowed to take the Paypal option away? It's an auction listing so I thought Paypal HAD to be an option?? And isn't a bid sort-of indicating an agreement to buy anyway before they've even seen the car?

So many questions! :rotfl:Sorry!

Yeah, as far as I know it's no different for cars. Paypal has to be an option. However, it's your car and if someone insists on Paypal only you just say no and don't sell it to them.

If they do pay that way there are fees sadly, but you can refund them and insist on cash. Better to lose the cost of fees than lose the entire amount if you happen to get a bad buyer. Although if they did that by mistake you could ask them to cancel the transaction and if they accept or ignore it you get the fees back.

mwddrwg

Flyonthewall wrote: »

Yeah, as far as I know it's no different for cars. Paypal has to be an option. However, it's your car and if someone insists on Paypal only you just say no and don't sell it to them.

If they do pay that way there are fees sadly, but you can refund them and insist on cash. Better to lose the cost of fees than lose the entire amount if you happen to get a bad buyer. Although if they did that by mistake you could ask them to cancel the transaction and if they accept or ignore it you get the fees back.

Good advice! Many thanks. Cash only it is then

onetwothree123

The buyer CANNOT open a case car sales are EXEMPT from Paypal Protection policies, they wisely don't want involved in Arthur Daly carsales!

lol I imagine they would need to open a whole new division of Paypal dedicated to used car sales

Cars sold privately are always sold as seen no warranty implied or given and you have put all the known faults when they drive it away that is it gone , so don't worry, just relax , breathe deeply ! It will sell as its on cheaply, good luck.

mwddrwg

onetwothree123 wrote: »

The buyer CANNOT open a case car sales are EXEMPT from Paypal Protection policies, they wisely don't want involved in Arthur Daly carsales!

lol I imagine they would need to open a whole new division of Paypal dedicated to used car sales

Cars sold privately are always sold as seen no warranty implied or given and you have put all the known faults when they drive it away that is it gone , so don't worry, just relax , breathe deeply ! It will sell as its on cheaply, good luck.

Thanks for clarifiying the rules - just panicking a bit as I need the cash for Christmas and it will probably be gone as soon as I get it which will make refunding difficult :cool:

Thanks again

forgotmyname

You tell them to come and inspect it. If they are happy they pay cash if not they can walk away.

But you wont haggle on the price. The bid price is what you pay.

Not happy then let them walk away. Do not budge on the price.

soolin

Just to clarify, the car categories on eBay are exempt from the PayPal requirement. You do not have to take it and it can be removed as an option in your auction.