The Do’s and Don’ts of Posting a Car on Gumtree
Selling a car is never much fun. Do so privately and you’ll be lucky not to have to deal with at least one time-waster. Go via a dealer and you’ll struggle to make what you might through a private sale. Therefore it’s no surprise that online services are becoming increasingly popular.
If you put your car up on Gumtree, whether it’s a vintage model, second hand or recently bought car, you want it to sell and you want it to sell fast with no fuss. Selling a car is different than selling any other mundane product. It’s a big product with a big price tag, so you as the seller need to make a big impact on the viewer. There are so many cars on Gumtree, that your car can go unnoticed easily even if it is a good deal.
How to sell a car online quickly while maximising the transaction price is the question every seller wants answered. It’s really not a mystery. It simply requires some thinking power and a bit of time. Here are the top do’s and don’ts of selling your car on Gumtree.
Commitment
The first step to successfully selling your car online is commitment. Approach selling your car the same way you would a project at work. For a quick, successful sale, you must fully engage in every step of the process. Here’s the dirty little secret about selling a car online: The less effort you make, the less successful you will be.
The Right Price
Establishing the right price requires research and a bit of time. To do this you can either contact a professional, your car manufacturer or better, have a look on Gumtree’s car price checker. There you can see which cars are selling on Gumtree, and the average prices they go for. “It’s here that it pays to do your research. Be realistic about the condition of your car and look at what dealers are charging for ones that are similar in age and equipment. Also look at how many are for sale. Both factors affect the value,” says car expert and editor of carsales.com.
Put Effort In to Your Photos
People rarely click on ads that have no photo attachments. Photos are really an online seller’s primary marketing tool. There is no such thing as too many photos. Make an effort to take a few quality photos of every aspect of the car – that way the prospective buyer can view the car online and feel like the seller is being honest.
Info is Key
Write a compelling description. If you spend two minutes writing your car’s description, you probably haven’t done it justice. Be creative and thorough. The info is probably the second most important factor, after the photos. Look at the online ads today; nearly every vehicle has power steering and ABS. Such routine features should never be the lead in your description. Instead, think about the features you love that attracted you to the car. Get excited. If it’s a convertible, describe how effortlessly the top operates and the joy of driving with the top down on a sunny afternoon. If it’s a minivan, enthuse over the convenience and room.
Always be honest
Don’t lie about any aspect of your car such as the mileage or if it’s ever been in an accident. Rather be honest with the prospective seller about everything.
Contact details
Even though you might view it as a little unsafe, always put your email address and number on the Gumtree ad. You don’t necessarily have to put down your phone number, but people tend to be lazy with emails and will much rather just give you a call because they want immediate contact – otherwise they will most probably move on to the next ad. It’s not necessary to put down your full name, so rather don’t do that.
Follow these simple Gumtree do’s and don’ts and your car will be sold in no time. It’s as easy as that!