Need quick cash for the holidays or other major expenses? There are several marketplaces to sell online, such as Craigslist, Cars.com, eBay Motors, Facebook Marketplace, Autotrader, and Offerup. Knowing the key factors of how to sell your car on online marketplaces can help you get top dollar for your vehicle, speed up the selling process and keep you (and your wallet) safe. Let’s examine how to sell your car online while avoiding headaches.

Prepare for the Sale

Gather Title and Documents

Make sure you have your “clear” title in your possession. When selling, did you know you can sell your car even if you still owe money on your loan? Check out KeySavvy’s article on “How to sell a car with a loan” to get specific information.

Depending on your local laws, other people listed on the title may have to sign off on a transfer, as well, so touch base with them to make sure you’re on the same page. Don’t have a copy of the title? Arrange to get one from your state’s department of motor vehicles.

If your car has had major repairs or specialty modifications, gather all this documentation for prospective buyers. This information may help them if they need more work done, may serve as support for your sales price for the vehicle, and will help you build trust with buyers. If you don’t have receipts or documentation, gather estimates online to demonstrate what the typical costs for such repairs are.

Minor Repairs

If you have held off on any minor repairs, this is the time to do some of them — especially cosmetic issues. Buyers sometimes latch onto small things, like broken headlights, scuffs or scratches, or cracked windshields, and use them to try to drive down the price. By fixing small problems before creating your ad, you may draw more interest and get more money.

It is generally best not to spend more than 10% of the car’s value on repairs ahead of a sale, so use a repair estimator tool, such as RepairPal.com, to obtain accurate estimates.

Detailing

A clean, spotless car can get you a higher price and more interest. If you can afford it, have the vehicle professionally detailed. If not, make sure it gets vacuumed, clean the upholstery, and give it a full wash, wax and a general wipe-down of the interior.

Posting your Ad

Take Photos

Take high-quality photos of your car. A newer cell phone will typically have the capability of taking high-resolution quality photos.

The best time to shoot photos of your car is right before or after sunset, to avoid glare from the sun. Facebook Marketplace allows photos and videos, while Craigslist allows a link to view more photos on photo hosting sites, such as Flickr. Be sure to capture as much detail of the vehicle as you can, specifically the following: * Front, back and sides * Close-up of the wheels and tires * Driver’s seat * Back seat * Full dashboard with clear shot of odometer and proof no warning lights are on * Entertainment equipment * Under the hood (especially the engine) * Inside the trunk * Special features or aftermarket add-ons (such as rims, tinted windows, tow hitches) * Damage (no need to highlight damage, but don’t hide it either)

Research

Do some research to determine a fair price. You’ll also want to browse other listings of similar vehicles in your area to see what they’re going for. Be realistic with the price you set.

Find relevant links to include in your post. Trust is a major issue for prospective buyers, so try to include reputable sources that will demonstrate you’re being upfront with information. Consumer reviews are excellent to include, as are product listings from the manufacturer. and again, this is a good place for repair estimates for work you’ve recently had done.

Writing the Listing

Title of Listing

Make sure the title is informational and catchy. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist limits the number of characters you can use, so focus on getting the Make, Model and Year first. After that, add in the best benefits of the vehicle. Leather seats, entertainment systems, sunroofs, third-row seats are features buyers frequently look for. If the mileage is low or the car gets good fuel economy, that can be worth a mention, too.

Body of Listing

Write a comprehensive, easy-to-follow description. It is generally best to break it into easily digested bits, so readers can scan them. Start by listing the important stats, such as Make, Model, Year, Color, Mileage, engine type, VIN, warranty details and condition.

Break up the rest of your post by car section and explain the features and benefits of each. Check out how your automaker writes the description and craft yours in a similar way.

Discuss any damage or concerns near the end of your post for the sake of honesty and transparency.

Be sure to include your terms of closing the deal such as payment conditions, which we will cover further in the article.

Working with Prospective Buyers

Who Is Your Buyer?

Before you agree to meet with a prospective buyer, screen them carefully by phone and/or by looking at their profile. This is important for a number of reasons. First, it lets you weed out people who aren’t serious, as well as those who won’t find your vehicle to be a good fit for their needs.

Secondly, you’ll get a better idea of their intentions. For example, if the individual begins using aggressive tactics or starts trying to drive down the price right away, you could be dealing with someone who wants to flip your car for profit. You’ll likely get a better price by passing and moving on to the next person.

Chatting with the person about their needs will also help you spot potential scammers or people who might seem unsafe to deal with, including phishing scams. KeySavvy’s CEO Andrew Crowell mentioned the following regarding phishing scams, “KeySavvy has been buying and selling cars as part of our product development process and we'll get at least one phishing scam a day. The buyer will ask about the car a bit, maybe even set up a test drive, then send a link of some sort. The link could be a fake marketplace listing or fake vehicle history report site. The underlying purpose is to get your login credentials for Google, Facebook, etc.” Trust your gut. If someone seems off for any reason, don’t move forward.

Pricing

Even if you’ve set what you feel is a fair price, be prepared for people to try to talk you down a little. Know what the absolute minimum price you can accept is in advance, and negotiate with this in mind.

Scheduling

Decide when you’ll be available for the buyer to look at your vehicle, take a test drive, and schedule accordingly. It may be helpful to let prospective buyers know you’re showing the vehicle to multiple interested parties, as this can encourage them to make a decision more quickly. If you can, schedule appointments for days and times the DMV is open, so you can go and transfer the title right away.

Negotiation

Be ready to make a counteroffer. Even if the prospective buyer offers a price within your acceptable range, try asking, “can you do $x?” This simple, non intrusive question can help you get the most for your vehicle.

If a prospective buyer is hesitant about the price you want, it’s ok to walk away. Your nonchalant attitude may spur them to action, or you may have to wait for the next buyer, but having the right mindset ahead of time will help you get the amount you want and make the sales process simpler.

Safety and Security

Your Information

Scammers love getting their hands on any details they can. Don’t mention any personal addresses, places of work, names, or other details in your ad, messages, or emails. Hold off on giving a phone number until you’ve carefully vetted the individual through email or message exchanges and have verified they’re not giving off any warning signs. If you choose to use a photo hosting site for extra images, make sure you use the account only for this sale, that the public account details can’t be linked to you in real life, and that the only images included on the account are those of the vehicle.

Speaking of photos, keep identifiable info and details out of your pictures, such as notable buildings, reflections of faces and license plate numbers should all be blurred out in your photos.

It is also worth noting that savvy thieves may ask for your id as a security measure, then use your identity to carry out scams. Don’t give anyone a copy of your ID, and don’t trust that an individual who sends you their ID is really who they say they are.

Payment

Avoid scams with safe and secure payment options. KeySavvy provides a safe way to accept payment for any vehicle on any marketplace. When you add your vehicle to KeySavvy, they will send you a link that buyers can use to pay online. The payment link or QR code image will deter scammers, and avoids having to handle cash or verify a cashier’s check. Buyers can use your payment link to pay online using their bank account. After the buyer pays, the funds are directly sent to your bank account. >>Learn more about KeySavvy

Test Drives and Safety

Meet and conduct the meet up and test drive in a single public location — definitely not your house. Some people choose to meet at police and fire departments for the added security. However, any highly populated and well-traveled public area will work.

Grab a photo of the buyer’s license before handing over the keys, and send the image to the friend who is with you and another friend who isn’t there. At this point, you can easily tell whether the person on the ID is the person checking out the vehicle, so having the image is a safety measure.

Once you’ve completed the sale be sure to take down your ad. This will keep you from getting more emails and prevent shoppers from getting their hopes up.

About KeySavvy

KeySavvy helps consumers buy and sell vehicles online by eliminating fraud in private party transactions. We believe the private market offers the best value to both buyers and sellers, but the risk of fraud and cumbersome sale process prevent consumers from fully realizing that value. KeySavvy protects buyers and sellers, allowing everyone equal access to the private market. Learn more at KeySavvy.com.