Does eBay Ship Cars? What to Do after Buying a Car on eBay

Online shopping platforms like eBay, Etsy, and Amazon are a few of the places where thousands of vendors showcase their goods and offer them at competitive prices. You’ll find furniture, paint, work tools, clothing, electronics, appliances, and cars. The biggest benefit of buying a car from a place like eBay is access to all types and price ranges, unlike going to a physical store.

However, while it’s pretty easy to purchase one from the site, the question of getting it can be daunting. How do you ship the car from the seller’s location to yours, especially if you live far apart? If the seller doesn’t offer to ship it, does eBay ship cars or do you need to make a private arrangement? Let’s discuss this and see how you can receive your car after purchase.

How Buying a Car from eBay Works

If you’ve gone on eBay and browsed for cars, you must keep in mind that the ecommerce platform doesn’t ship cars. That means you must take the step to book the vehicle shipping service that works best for you. All eBay does is give a platform for vendors to sell their goods as long as they stick to the terms of using the site.

Therefore, all types of vendors use the popular platform for this purpose. eBay works with a courier or shipping service and vendors on the platform can opt to use this courier service when shipping sold items to the buyers. But some sellers may not be open to doing this, especially if the destination is far.

Using a shipping service you trust is the right step, so they may want to stick with one they have used before and which has worked well for them. But that will mean you pay extra for the shipping and that might cost you more than making personal arrangements. Most vendors will not offer to ship your car to you because of the extra cost and hassle.

It might be in your best interest to book the car transport yourself to be sure of the service and costs. Relying on a vendor for that service may cost you more than usual since you must pay what they request. Also, note that any vendor that offers free shipping may be fraudulent.

Car shipping is expensive and no seller will offer it at no extra cost, even if they have sold the car to you at a price much higher than usual. Therefore, it’s indicative of a scam. Sellers typically put a clause that indicates they aren’t responsible for the car’s shipping or pickup; that responsibility is on the buyer. Click here to learn more about buying vehicles on eBay.

Booking Reputable Car Shipping Companies: Tips that Work

When you have bought a car from eBay and there are no shipping offers from the seller, the next step is to find a reputable vehicle transport service that can move it to your location. Here are tips to select the best option.

1. Research

One of the first things to do when looking for a reliable shipping company is proper research. Pick three or four top-rated companies and compare their offers. See where they ship and whether they cover any special requirements you have. You’ll find countless companies with excellent reviews and reputation online to select.

You can also depend on word of mouth if you have friends or family members who have recently used such a service. They can refer you to the best ones they know and you can add them to your list without exceeding a certain number. That way, you don’t feel overwhelmed while getting the information you need.

2. Read Reviews

The next step to help you narrow the list is to read the reviews of those companies on your list. Verified customer reviews, not those written for paid exposure, provide insight into the customer service, experience, and expertise of the companies. Check all reviews, not only the positive ones, because they all give you information to make a decision.

You can also check the companies’ ratings on sites like Better Business Bureau and Yelp to see how they are viewed professionally. Such reviews let you know which company is a scam, those who are the true professionals, and which may not meet your requirements.

3. Compare Prices

With three or four companies, you can easily compare prices and decide which fits into your budget. When you pick only one, you are stuck with its terms, which could be unfavorable. But when you have other top services to compare, you select the most suitable in terms of cost and services.

Ensure you let the team know everything you require so that you can get an accurate estimate. If you want to ship overseas, then you can check: https://www.thepricer.org/.

4. Pick a Carrier

Your carrier of choice will also affect the price. There are two types – an enclosed carrier and an open carrier. An enclosed carrier means the truck or trailer is covered to offer protection to the vehicles. That comes at an extra cost, although it protects the vehicles from the elements.

But an open carrier doesn’t have any cover; the cars are exposed to the elements. Because of this, it is more affordable. If you bought a luxury or expensive car, using an enclosed carrier is ideal for the added protection. But you can go for an open one to save costs.

Conclusion

Buying a car on eBay is one of the easiest things to do because the process is simple and smooth. However, transporting the vehicle to your location needs careful attention and planning. Ensure you choose the right company to handle the shipping and discuss the costs and other logistics before deciding which works best for you.