The used car market saw a massive boom in the last couple of years, with more and more customers preferring to own a private car. Car sellers are increasingly searching for the best site to sell car, while buyers consistently look for convenient methods to buy cars online.
If you are an independent used car seller, dealership, used car retailer, etc., you will find more than half your customers online: on websites, social media, marketplaces, and so on. Having strong online used car selling tactics is no longer a choice. A bad online car buying experience is a deal breaker.
In fact, today, the online market for used cars captures a whopping 38.67 billion U.S. dollars and will reach as high as 176.24 billion U.S. dollars in 2031 with a CAGR of 17.5 percent (data by Statista). The figures highlight major Automotive eCommerce markets like the U.S., which reported a massive growth of 30% till Feb 2022. Interesting, isn’t it?
You can seize deals on the best place to sell a classic car with top-notch used car selling strategies, techniques, and some secret sauces. To help you survive the competition and build the best place to sell your used car, this blog will run you through numerous avenues, step-by-step guides, also essential components to increase your used car sales online and leverage A.I. (your secret sauce).
Let’s dive in.
How to Sell Your Car Privately
Trying to sell your car privately without going to a dealer. Well, you need to make extra effort to get the maximum value for your car. You need to spend long hours and effort in the car-selling process however, there are high risks involved in the process, so we have a curated list of tips for selling your car privately online or in person:
1) Determine Car’s Value
Car value influences various factors. Car condition and mileage are important factors however there are external factors that play crucial roles such as market condition, fuel, and the brand’s visual appeal. Thereby for determining the car’s value consider platforms like Carmax & look for comparable used car listings.
2) Start running ads to connect easily with potential buyers
Now once you determine the car’s value it’s time to advertise your car to your targeted audience or potential customers. Use the car photo editor app and create the best car visuals also to make it more interactive you can use 360 car photography to make your vehicle ad more interactive and engaging. High-quality images play a crucial role in capturing the attention of the potential buyers so make sure your car ad attracts the potential buyers.
Beware of fishy screen shoppers prefer communicating via phone call over text. Capture the buyer’s attention by highlighting your best attributes and being transparent about the car’s condition.
3) Complete the paperwork
When you are selling a car privately you need to be extra conscious while getting the paperwork done. Ensure you have all the necessary key document which includes the car’s title and bill of sale. If you still have a pending loan ensure you contact the lender and get the payoff amount. Additionally, you can carry a vehicle history report for customer satisfaction about vehicle maintenance, warranty details & more!
4) Safety is primary
Selling a car privately requires more safety as you are going meet a stranger for a test drive & collecting payments. Make sure that when setting up a test drive, you meet at a public location.
Additionally while transferring the ownership of a car communicate your preferred payment method. Opt for cash as personal checks can be risky.
5) Bonus tips
There are a few scenarios where you need to follow a few additional steps such as in case of a buyer who is not in town, you need to arrange vehicle pickup or vehicle delivery service. At most of places while selling your vehicle you don’t need to give your license plate so you can remove it before handing it over to the new buyer.
How To Choose The Best Platform To Sell Your Car Online?
When searching for the best online platform to sell your car, differentiating between the offerings of various platforms can be a daunting task. To facilitate this comparison, we will look at the key considerations to contemplate when determining the best site to sell car online. Here is a list of a few key points to consider:
1) Customer Reviews
Start by evaluating customer reviews. Comparing ratings for a company’s selling services and overall value can significantly aid in your decision-making process.
2) Vehicle Offers
Reliable car-selling websites typically provide a user-friendly online quote tool to assess the valuation of your vehicle. It is equally important to compare multiple offers across different platforms to secure the most favorable pricing.
3) Services Offered
A vital aspect of gauging the selling experience is examining the array of services offered by a platform to enhance convenience. Lastly look for features such as free vehicle pickups, at-home inspections, and drop-off options.
4) Industry Reputation
The reputation of a company within the industry is crucial. Trustworthy services are often indicated by positive ratings from reputable organizations such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Consider this factor in your decision-making process for added assurance.
Do’s and Don’ts When Selling a Car Online
To sell your car safely and quickly you need to know what do’s and don’ts you should consider when selling your car online whether you are professional or not these factors will definitely help you in selling your car faster & with minimal effort and get the maximum value when selling a car:
Let’s check out do’s when selling a car online
1) Decide How you Want to Sell your Car: Privately or Online Dealer?
While you are planning to sell a car the most important thing to consider is deciding whether to sell your car privately or to an online dealer. Well, there are pros and cons to selling a car privately. There is a high chance that you can make more money from selling your car privately rather than selling your car to a dealer however this will eventually take more time and extra effort as compared to selling your car through a car marketplace or to an online dealer.
2) Include High-Quality Professional Car Photos, Detailed Description
In today’s digital world having a good online presence is very important. Whenever a car shopper thinks of buying a car online they often start their journey by researching the car online.
Always use an AI car photography studio & create high-quality professional car photos to include in your car ads. Also include detailed car descriptions like the car’s make, model, year, VIN, title status, current odometer reading, any dent or damage, or any relevant information about the car.
3) Be Honest About Car’s Condition
In case of any issue or damage with the car always be honest about the current condition to give your buyer a transparent & trustworthy experience. Be upfront about any problem or damage in the car because if you hide any of these it will hamper the customer’s expectation and also waste the customer’s time.
4) Get Paperwork Ready
Ensure you have all the paperwork ready that is required to sell your car or also in case of transferring ownership. A few of the important documents are the Car’s title, repair, warranty record, bill of sale, current registration, & notice of sale/transfer ownership.
5) Be Cautious About Safety Precautions
Precaution is the key, while selling your car privately it is wise to consider a few precautions. Screen potential buyers. Take time to check the background and also ensure you take someone with you when you are planning to meet. Prefer meeting at a place, also you can let someone know your location of meeting & whom you are meeting.
Let’s check out the don’ts when selling a car online
1) Avoid Using Raw & Old Photographs
Always prefer using your photos and utilizing high-quality professional photos and to create such photos use Spyne’s car photo editor app for the best output. Don’t use stock photos or old photos isn’t a good idea to use as they do not reveal the current car’s condition.
2) Don’t Quote Unrealistic Pricing
Be realistic about the pricing of your car photos. Check popular online value platforms such as (Kelley Blue Book, J.D. Power) and local listings to price your car right. Don’t set your expectation for pricing very high, quote pricing that matches the car’s actual condition.
3) Avoid Payment Scams
Avoid falling into payment scams! Always prefer cash over any other online mode of payment while selling your car online. In case a buyer is not comfortable with carrying you can meet at the bank spot & get the transaction finalized.
4) Avoid Handovering Ownership Before Getting Full Payment
Don’t transfer ownership and car keys until the payment is done. Ensure you have received the full payment with proper documentation & verification. Post verification you can hand over the car’s key & other essentials.
5) Avoid Transfering Car Title Before Getting Full Payment
Don’t forget to transfer the car’s title. Make sure you inform the Department of Motor Vehicles right away post-sales. You can file the notice of sale/transfer form in your state & get it done. Also, the process needs to be done from the new buyer’s end also then it will complete. Additionally, make sure you remove the license plate of the car before handover.
Additional Considerations for Selling Your Car Privately or in Person.
There are a few considerations for selling your car privately or in person. Let’s check out these considerations in detail:
Collect your documentation
Make sure you prepare the documentation before and keep the car unsigned & out of sight even using the private seller exchange service.
Clean your vehicle
Make sure you properly clean your car before getting it to a buyer. You can also get service from cash wash companies & get your car in clean condition.
Get an inspection
Also, you can call a mechanic for your inspection. If you will get the inspection done from your end you will be able to identify if any kind of problem is there with the car therefore you can mention the same in the description for a clear and transparent customer experience.
Disclose odometer reading
Disclose your odometer reading for a better understanding. This will help the customer get a clear understanding of the car’s speed, distance driven, engine maintenance, tire alignment, low fuel, mileage, RPM & more!
Best Used Car Websites: Selling a Car
Want to sell your car online? and find the best automotive use car website? Well, we have simplified this for you by listing the top 10 used car websites for selling a car online. Let’s have a closer look at the best place to sell car online free or the best online car-selling sites.
| Website | Overview | Ratings |
| Cars.com | Cars.com is the best choice for selling a used car online. | 9.0 |
| CarGurus | Powerful search filters help you find cars with specific features. | 9.0 |
| Carvana | Carvana offers a seamless process for selling a car online. | 8.9 |
| TrueCar | TrueCar works with approximately 13000 dealerships across the US. | 8.7 |
| Autotrader | Autotrader is a large platform for selling used cars or the best place to sell second-hand cars. | 8.7 |
| CarMax | CarMax is also a reputable platform for selling a used car online. | 8.6 |
| Edmunds | Edmunds is the most trusted car-selling platform. | 8.3 |
| Facebook Marketplace | The Facebook marketplace also allows you to sell a car. | 4.5 |
| Craigslist | Craigslist offers a large variety of used cars listed by owners. | 4.0 |
| eBay Motors | eBay Motors also allows listings for used cars | 3.5 |
For a better understanding and to help you select the best place to sell junk cars or the best place to sell damaged cars or any type of car for selling a used car we have mentioned a few pros & cons of websites to sell cars by owner for free to consider:
Pros of Used Car Selling Websites
1) Shop Whenever, Wherever: Browse listings and manage your ad 24/7, at your own pace.
2) Stress-Free Selling: Avoid pushy salespeople and focus on serious buyers who’ve already contacted you.
3) Save Time and Effort: Skip the hassle of traveling to dealerships and waiting for appraisals.
4) Reach a Wider Audience: Cast a net across a national audience of potential buyers, increasing your chances of a quick sale.
5) Transparent Pricing: Many platforms offer fixed-price listings, streamlining the negotiation process.
Cons of Used Car Selling Websites
1) Less control over the final sale price: Unlike negotiating with a dealer or private buyer, the platform might have a set pricing structure or fees that affect your take-home amount.
2) The time commitment for presentation: Taking high-quality photos, however, using a car photography studio for creating the best high-quality photos, writing detailed descriptions, and potentially responding to numerous inquiries can be time-consuming.
3) Potential for scams: Just like buyers, sellers also face the risk of encountering fraudulent activity online. Be wary of unrealistic offers or unsolicited contact.
Why is Selling Used Cars Online a Good Decision?
The pandemic years changed the buying-selling scenario, and the automotive sector was no exception. With people facing travel restrictions coupled with higher fuel prices, they switched to buying used cars in no time and too online.
Interestingly, there is no way these buyers will change their preferences for buying a car online anytime soon. Using online platform for selling car online will help you reach wider audience of potential buyers who may pay your quoted price or asking price. Additionally, if your car is in a good condition and have low mileage you have high chance to get the best price for selling or trade in at the best car trade-in sites. You lose out on your market share, revenues, sales, customers, and brand identity if you are not online. By 2035, online car sales will see a surge of 33%, as stated by Meta.
Well, it’s not only about creating the best site to sell cars. Car buyers are reaching out to digital sources for every used car-related info. Consider the following facts:
- 95% of car buyers refer to the Internet while searching for cars.
- 65% of car buyers prefer going to service centers they first heard about through videos.
- 70% of car buyers say online videos help them learn more about cars and make effective purchase decisions. (Data provided by Think with Google)
Your dealership websites need to be a one-stop solution for all car-related activities: browsing, buying, comparing, learning about cars, etc. In addition, you can attract buyers through innovative spinning videos, testimonies, add-on services, and more.
Here are a few more reasons why you should build the best place to sell a vehicle or the best place to sell your car quickly:
To increase conversions
In 2023, only a few car buyers are using the legacy method of locally searching for car dealerships or retailers. Social media and websites are the most used channels to discover and buy cars. By going digital-first, you can infinitely increase your reach, customer engagement, and conversions. Moreover, research by Meta says 57% of all new car buyers and 66% of 18-34-year-olds view online purchases as a realistic option.
Keeping abreast of customer expectation
The way to car buyers’ hearts is to level up your digital game. The first step towards this is building the best site to sell car. The biggest frustrations for any car buyer are time and convenience. Allowing them to transition to an online experience will help them conduct research and explore at their own pace and time.
Additionally, online car buying focuses more on delivering experiences over prices and products. This means you have to constantly upgrade your buyer personas and target smartly with trending products and features.
Bigger transaction values
Bring your cars and dealerships online if you wish to impact your bottom line. You need to enhance car-buying experiences and provide new options for buyers to connect, discover, and then purchase with zero friction in phases. All car buyers, including ones looking at higher price points, are interested in buying online. The only way to convert these customers is to notch up your online presence.
How to Sell Used Cars Online: A Step-by-Step Guide
Customers no longer have time to scroll through classifieds to buy used cars. If you wish to convert them, you need to pursue a platform (if you are an independent seller) or create an effective one (if a dealer/retailer) to increase your visibility and stay on top of car buyers’ minds. Here’s a step-by-step guide you must follow to help you understand the online used-car selling process and earn more.
Choosing/Building the best site to sell car
Website experience will define your dealership image and decide customer loyalty in the long term. Sadly, websites are either too complicated to navigate or miss out on critical information while striving for minimalistic design.
When selecting the websites to sell cars, it’s best to research thoroughly before making a decision. You should also talk to people who’ve previously used these good sites to sell cars, to know what the ROI (Return On Investment) looks like.
That said, you should list your cars on multiple top car selling sites, if possible, to increase your chances of sale. Be sure to read all the terms and conditions before you list your vehicles.
The key to building the best sites to sell cars is striking a balance between design and the information given. Keep these points in mind when designing a used-car selling site:
- Give a search bar at the top of the screen that is easy to locate.
- Car buyers should not lose track of their journey when they press the back button.
- All critical data should be mentioned on the VDPs.
- Ensure that the payment page does not reroute car buyers to different locations.
- Connect your website to social media pages and content, what’s more it allows customers to transit smoothly.
- CTAs should be clear, concise, and compelling.
Blazing-fast websites
Do you know that a delay of one second in loading times can lead to a 16% fall in customer satisfaction and a 7% decline in conversions? This is because humans have an attention span lesser than that of a goldfish. With text-heavy visuals and larger-sized but high-resolution catalogs, not-so-responsive websites frustrate customers and make them abandon the website for good.
Additionally, car sellers’ most common mistake is building the same website for desktops and mobile and trying to force fit. To land more car buyers, your website should be responsive, device-agnostic, and easy to load.
Find your used car’s value
Pricing is still a differentiating factor when it comes to selling. At the end of the day, car buyers will tend to buy from a seller giving them a 20% discount and services like free repairs than those charging full retail.
Do thorough research on the current pricing of your models at various levels: dealerships, trade-ins, or private market and individual selling. Some car buyers also like features like instant cash offers on best auto selling sites wherein they can put their quote and see if it’s over or underpriced.
Fix your super old cars
Selling a pre-owned or used car means they have already gone through a lot of wear and tear, may have parts that need tightening, will give a mileage lower than expected, or have the engine working slower. Remember that car buyers searching for used cars don’t want a piece of junk. They need a decent car that can solve their self-esteem needs and commuting purposes without trouble.
So fix every broken part of your used car, paint it, repair the torn leather seats, replace tiers, check the brakes, place a new windscreen, and then show it for sale to get a deserved and elevated value.
Include high-impact pictures
Images talk on your behalf when it comes to selling cars online. Car buyers would like to see your vehicle from every angle possible. Therefore it’s critical to ensure that your car images include the following:
- They shouldn’t reflect any unnecessary shimmers
- The color and features should be highlighted subtly. The background should complement the vehicle’s paint.
- Images shouldn’t be clicked from boring angles.
- Ensure they don’t contain any element of distraction, like crowds, animals, garbage in the background lastly too many trees, etc.
- Ensure images aren’t captured with other cars parked on the side.
The best practice is to capture from all angles possible. Shoot the front, the front 3/4 (an oblique angle), the driver’s side, the back 3/4, and the passenger’s side. Show the undercarriage, the dash, the trunk, the front and rear seats, Finally, highlight the engine within its compartment, adjusting lighting as necessary, perhaps with the use of a flash for optimal visibility.
Also, be prepared to provide proof if your ad claims that your product is “rust-free.” Some buyers will only consider viewing your vehicle in person after viewing an extensive gallery of images. Interiors are equally important, you can focus on seats, steering wheel, blind-spot monitoring, heated seats, sunroof/moonroof, third-row seating, etc.
Show VIN reports in your vehicle listings
The vehicle identifying number, or VIN can be used to obtain a vehicle history record that will benefit buyers who want to know the used car’s specifics upfront. In addition, it assures buyers of the car’s past. Even in excellent condition, a wreck or flooding title will lower the car’s value.
Offer multiple payment options
Offering various payment options, such as cash and cashier’s checks, can facilitate the completion of a cash sale and prevent the buyer from having second thoughts. The sooner you receive payments, the faster you can finalize transactions. Some buyers (and, for that matter, some purchasers) favor cash deals. Being open to other choices, such as cashier’s checks, instant cash offers, etc., may be beneficial.
Why are High-Quality Images Necessary for Online Car Sales?
High-quality professional car photos convey the condition, features, and visual appeal of the car effectively. Additionally, they can increase the engagement visibility & CTR by up to 40%. Images are the first impression for your online car buyers therefore you can only build the best site to sell cars by including good car visuals. It can make or break your sales. In fact, 93% of car buyers consider images influential enough to impact their buying decisions, and 64% say 360-degree walkaround videos can influence them to buy a car without going for a test drive.
Research by Cox Automotive says 90% of car buyers need images mandatorily when comparing new and old cars. In almost all cases, good-quality car images are the best bets to lure car buyers into buying and showing interest.
Build a brand image
Good quality car images reflect professionalism and lead to the best site to sell car sales website. Additionally, professional photos raise the legitimacy of both your business and website. According to a study by the Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab, a website’s design and the photographs on it were cited as the most crucial factor in determining a website’s credibility, by 46.1% of respondents.
Gain traction on social media
Visual content is the future of social networking. In contrast to other forms of content, visual content receives 94% more overall views and is nearly 40 times more likely to be shared moreover the use of social media by dealerships is growing. Therefore to stand out, it is crucial to produce high-quality material. For instance, you might use pictures of the cars you’re selling.
Avoid unnecessary distraction
When offering a premium car model in excellent condition, it is vital to highlight the unique color, superior exterior features, and high-quality tires. A clean and professional background is crucial in drawing attention to these details, as a cluttered background can distract from the car’s specifications. Therefore, car dealerships should maintain a professional image background.
High-impact car visuals = More trust = More conversions
More than one image is required to Sell a Car Online or establish a strong brand image. To engage potential buyers, providing visual content that allows them to focus on the car’s most appealing and significant aspects is essential. Research by Shopify shows only 0.52% of customers are satisfied with viewing a single product photo. Moreover, 33.16% prefer to see multiple photos, and approximately 60% prefer 360-degree images for a more comprehensive product view.
How can Spyne Help you Sell Used Cars Online?
The key to a successful and best site to sell car is to have more high-quality and converting vehicle images and visuals. What if those hero elements are distorted, shabby, blurred, or too ordinary to attract anyone? Moreover, The customers will not even look at them, let alone buy them. Isn’t it? and then, clicking good-quality images is no cakewalk. You would need the following:
- A tripod stands to place your camera.
- A reflector kit to manipulate the sunlight
- A 35mm to 50mm focal length lens for the perfect automotive photography
- Flashes for the ideal lighting while shooting car interiors
- Light limiters, including neutral density filters, avoid unnecessary shimmers on the car body.
- If you are shooting indoors, then a proper turntable with light background curtains and turntable software controls the stage’s movement.
In short, it means you must spend hours preparing first to set the stage for the shoot and find a perfect background, then some more hours capturing Car videos and images. Then again, a few more hours processing those images in bulk and uploading them on your websites. Adding the cost of professionals for each of these steps, including travel costs, acquiring the gear mentioned above, hiring professional photographers and editors, renting a car booth or studio for indoor shoots, etc., you have enormous spending on the horizon.
Sounds like too much hassle, doesn’t it?
This is where state-of-the-art in-built AI capabilities can be a game changer for you. In addition, these tasks of finding background, hiring editors, processing images, applying effects, etc., you can pass on to just one app on your smartphone and call it a day.
Why Choose Spyne?
Its inbuilt AI capabilities will help you capture car images from the right angles and ensure appropriate lighting. Next, You don’t have to be a professional to shoot cars. The app will provide an on-screen guide and an overlay sketch on your screen. You just have to capture the car from the distance and angle, so the car fits the sketch, and bingo! You are done.
For 360-degree car rotating videos, it lets you apply both car turntable and studio effects to your visuals. You will only have to capture multiple images from various angles and upload them to the virtual studio.
You can then choose either to keep the car spinning (the turntable effect) or keep the car static and rotate the camera in a way that feels like the viewer is walking around the car (the studio effect). Just a few taps and you are ready to go.
Last but not least, speaking of backgrounds, It makes changing and applying backgrounds as easy as a breeze. You will find more than 100 customized backgrounds to choose from and give a professional look to your catalog.
For instance, you can choose a corporate or a glass background for a sedan to enhance the car’s look. For a hatchback or jeep, you can select a background with dunes, mountains, or barren land to make it look sturdy and so on. The cherry on top, you can also easily upload any background of your choice on the dashboard and apply it to your images.
Features of Our AI-powered Platform
- Add or remove shadows
- Apply window tinting
- Remove logos
- Hide number plates, etc.
You will be able to turn ordinary and amateur car images into studio-grade and website-ready visuals with AI in seconds, providing immersive experiences to car buyers through 360-degree walkaround videos, by consistently winning over car buyers’ first impressions, your dealership gains a crucial edge over a rival’s website. Moreover, It helps you make your vehicle catalog interesting and competitive by making listings aesthetic and clean to outperform with unique shots and videos.
The icing on the cake, you will enjoy:
- 70% cost reduction since you no longer need to hire professionals and build a studio.
- Increased customer engagement by ensuring 100% consistent images.
- 40% CTR growth and increased conversions.
- 80% faster GTM by processing more than a thousand images at one go and uploading them in just one click.
Does this intrigue you? Or wish to learn more about how to build the best site to sell car? Reach out to our consultants today.
