In a world where anything you want is readily available at your fingertips and shipped to your door within days, and sometimes hours, it wouldn’t surprise anyone to learn that you can have even cars delivered.
There’s no need to travel all over the country, scavenging for that rare elusive vehicle or hard-to-find car part anymore.
However, because of the large size and logistics, many potential car buyers are confused about the ins and outs of the shipping and delivery process when it comes to eBay.
Does eBay Ship Cars?
No,eBay itself does not ship cars.
It is the buyer’s responsibility to pay for shipping and arrange delivery of any car purchased through eBay.
eBay sells motor vehicles through an offshoot of their main eBay store called eBay Motors, and eBay Motors works with an outsider shipping company called uShip to ship and deliver cars purchased through them.
Buyers are not required to use the uShip service and may arrange for another delivery method.
Though eBay Motors does have a Shipping Center, it’s to help buyers arrange for the best option for themselves.
In the shipping center, they can compare shipping companies and delivery quotes.
What Kind Of Shipping Does uShip Offer?
eBay’s prime shipping associate, uShip offers a variety of different shipping options for cars.
Their website makes it easy to get a fast, free shipping quote.
After you put in the zip code of where the car is coming from and where it’s going, uShip gives you a ballpark estimate of delivery cost, as well as comparisons to other auto transport companies.
There’s no obligation to use their service either, so the quote is completely risk-free.
According to uShip, the average cost to ship a vehicle can range anywhere from $500 to$1500, depending on gas prices at the time and the distance the car is going.
Their website states, “Car hauling rates also fluctuate based on seasonality and demand as well.”
The unique aspect of uShip is that after putting in your vehicle information (make, model, year, and whether it runs or not), you can accept the instant rate, or you can choose to wait for a price you like better on the uShip marketplace.
The marketplace allows shipping companies to bid on your “job.”
You might be able to find a better shipping rate this way, but the process is longer and the savings are not guaranteed.
uShip ships and delivers standard vehicles, auction cars, classic cars, show cars, junk and salvage cars, and project vehicles.
They also ship car parts, which is especially convenient for larger car parts.
What Other Options Does uShip Offer?
There are primarily two shipping options available when it comes to shipping cars, open and enclosed.
Open transport, in which your car is placed on a multi-car trailer is the most affordable and economically friendly.
However, because the car is exposed, it runs the risk of suffering weather damage or road hazard damage, though this is extremely rare.
However, if you’ve just purchased a rare classic vehicle or luxury sports car on eBay, you might opt for enclosed transport.
This option is more expensive, but it does protect the vehicle from any external hazards.
When using enclosed transport, the car is loaded and secured into a covered trailer.
Other less popular shipping options are air freight and train transport.
Air freight is extremely expensive but also extremely safe.
Most people use this option if they’re shipping a one-of-a-kind vehicle.
Train transport, on the other hand, is much more economically friendly, but it can take weeks to get the vehicle.
The logistics of train transport are also much more problematic.
uShip makes figuring out which shipping option to use much easier by giving you side-by-side comparisons when receiving your quote.
This way you can decide on the best shipping option for yourself.
What About International Shipping?
Again, the shipping particulars should be decided on between the seller and buyer on eBay, but in general, uShip does offer international shipping and also makes it easy.
Some eBay sellers aren’t willing to deal with this extra hassle, however, or will only ship to certain countries, so be sure to clarify the details before purchasing a car that is needed overseas or in another country.
According to uShip, the average cost to ship internationally ranges anywhere from $900 to $2000+.
There are, of course, several factors that go into figuring out a better cost estimate, such as service type, distance, vehicle size, customs, and shipping insurance.
Every country will have a different process, so the particulars will vary in detail.
It’s best to input your personal car and shipping information into the uShip shipping cost estimator.
There are several advantages when it comes to using uShip as an international car delivery service.
There are no hidden fees, and loading and unloading at shipping ports are made easy.
uShip also offers airport pick up and drop off and, as always, has great customer service throughout the process.
As with shipping domestically, customers get to choose which carrier to use, putting them in control of their delivery.
How Are Cars Sold On eBay?
The selling process for cars is the same as any other item sold on eBay.
The seller can post a “Buy It Now” price, in which the buyer can bypass the bidding process.
If not, the item must be bided on, in which the seller has the option to accept the best offer.
As with the usual eBay selling process, the car is listed for a certain amount of time in which the auction takes place, usually a week or less.
As the ending time gets closer and closer, the item gets more and more visibility and attention, which oftentimes leads to bidding wars that last up until the last minute.
If the bids do not meet the lowest acceptable offer, a hidden price stated by the seller, the seller can remove the listing and adjust the cost or decide to sell elsewhere.
As with all eBay interactions, it’s important to establish a clear line of communication between the seller and buyer.
When the item is as large and as expensive as a vehicle, the stakes are a bit higher, making it that much more crucial to maintain a clear understanding of all the moving parts.
What Kind Of Cars Are Sold On eBay, And Are They Safe To Buy?
Every kind of car you can think of is sold on eBay.
In fact, currently, eBay Motors has an inventory of over 80,000 vehicles.
The more general categories include classics, exotics, collector cars, electric and hybrids, sports cars, minivans, SUVs, pickup trucks, convertibles, and sedans.
Buyers can also shop by body types, such as coupe, hatchback, minivan, sedan, van, and wagon, as well as by era.
Buyers can find cars dating from the 1920s up to the modern day.
Besides every kind of car, eBay Motors also sells motorcycles, RVs, buses, trucks, ATVs, motorboats, and personal watercraft.
As with searching for cars, buyers can input what they’re looking for, such as make, model, and year, in the search fields for any of these types of motorized transportation.
eBay Motors also deals in racing and performance parts.
Buying cars on eBay Motors is extremely safe.
In fact, it takes away a lot of the added worry that comes from buying straight from personal sellers.
eBay offers a Vehicle Protection Program that protects against occurrences like non-delivery of the vehicle, non-disclosed vehicle damages, and undisclosed title defects.
This added benefit gives both buyers and sellers reassurance in their exchange.
Buyers should, of course, also conduct their own research examining the vehicle history report, inspections, titles, car condition, and price by factoring in the shipping cost.
Are Car Parts Available For Sale On eBay Motors?
eBay Motors offers an entire catalog, OEM or aftermarket, as well as automotive tools and supplies.
Buyers can personalize their searches by creating a My Garage personalized page, making it easy to go back and look at previous searches and purchases.
By setting up a My Garage, buyers input the year, make, model, trim, and engine details to narrow down their search results.
Buyers can also look for specific parts by inputting the vehicle manufacture details, along with the model year, car part, and car part brand they’re looking for.
Categories are divided into engines and components, brakes and brake parts, mirrors, lighting and lamps, wheels, tires and parts, steering and suspension, air and fuel delivery, transmission and drivetrain, exterior, and more.
Besides car parts, eBay Motors also offer parts for pick-ups, motorcycles, ATVs, boats, commercial trucks, and more.
Buyers can also find in-car technology like GPS systems and security items.
What Other Bulk Items Does uShip Deliver?
In addition to vehicles, eBay works with uShip to deliver large items like boats, furniture, surfboards, paddle boards, pool tables, bicycles, home electronics, musical instruments, plants, medical equipment, lawn care equipment, and other heavy equipment and machinery, such as construction cranes and farming equipment.
uShip also deals in commercial and freight shipping.
It’s also worth noting that uShip will also safely ship pets and animals.
How Do You Sell Your Car On eBay?
Both private sellers and dealerships are welcome to list their cars on eBay Motors.
New and used vehicles can be listed.
Sellers should list the make, model, year, color of their vehicle, and any other description they want, including mileage and condition.
After writing the car’s description, the seller should price the car at their own discretion and let the buyer know if they’ll accept financing.
eBay makes financing easy through their eBay Motors Financing Center.
Researching car pricing websites like Kelley Blue Book and others can help sellers price their cars accordingly.
When creating a car listing, sellers must also state their preferred payment method, delivery options, and arrangement for the title transfer.
Sellers have the choice if they want to offer financing to their buyers, but it must be stated in the original listing.
They can also state what forms of payment they’re willing to accept and which ones they won’t take.
By removing “Local Pick-Up Only,” car sellers will receive much more visibility and open themselves to a better pool of potential buyers.
Their chances of selling their car are much better.
Plus, allowing buyers to receive a uShip quote comes at no extra cost to the seller.
By broadening their customer base, sellers are much more likely to generate more sales and more happy customers.
Because each state handles title transfers differently, it’s recommended to research your local Department of Motor Vehicles’ process.
As with the delivery, it’s up to the individual seller and buyer to arrange this transfer.
It’s also recommended to get the car inspected either before or after the sale with the SGS Automotive Automobile Inspection service.
SGS has a 150-point inspection that helps build confidence for the buyer and the seller.
Like all the other selling elements, the inspection details should be provided in the listing.
How Do You Ship Cars You’ve Sold Through eBay Motors?
If you are a private seller, you can post your delivery options when creating your car listing.
Though most private sellers will only sell their vehicle locally or to those willing to pick it up, some opt to arrange delivery through car shipping and delivery services.
Again, this must be agreed on by the buyer and the seller.
If the car is being shipped, eBay highly recommends choosing an insured and bonded shipping company to handle this delicate delivery.
Though it is ultimately the seller’s choice, if buyers have previously used trusted car shipping companies, they can certainly recommend those to their sellers.
eBay Motors conveniently offers a list of dependable car delivery and shipping companies that they’ve learned to trust over the years.
Each of these delivery companies has its own list of rules, regulations, and pricing, so ample research is highly recommended before settling on one.
If the seller states in the listing that they want to deliver the car themselves, they should list a certain mile radius of where they’re willing to drive.
What Incentives Are There For Dealerships To List?
Car dealerships have a huge incentive when listing on eBay Motors.
Car dealerships receive much more traffic online than they do on their physical lots.
eBay Motors states that they get 7.4 million viewers a month searching their car inventory.
They also state a car or truck sells every 3 minutes on eBay.
eBay Motors also notes, “According to a recent survey of car buyers, eBay Motors shoppers have a higher intent to purchase vs other platforms.”
This means more of that valuable traffic is actually browsing with the intent to buy.
eBay Motors also offers special dealer programs like the Premier Placement Program which allows dealers to purchase a fixed-price subscription to receive more “parking spaces” online.
In this “digital parking lot,” dealers can swap out their inventory in the allotted spaces to generate more traffic and interest.
This increases their visibility and allows flexibility, by letting the dealer themselves choose what they want to highlight based on their sale needs.
It’s also much easier for dealers to post their inventory using this program with eBay’s Vehicle Merchandising Platform.
