GM Launches Trial of Sales on eBay
10 August 2009
Starting tomorrow and running through 8 September, GM is running a test program for online car sales on eBay in California at gm.ebay.com.
Consumers will be able to browse California dealer online showrooms, ask questions, negotiate prices, and arrange financing and payment to purchase a new 2008, 2009 or select 2010 car, crossover or truck online. With more than 225 GM dealers in California participating, shoppers can at any given time expect to see a selection of up to 20,000 new GM vehicles, according to the company.
Vehicles will be offered through eBay Motors’ traditional formats such as “Buy It Now” (where shoppers agree to pay the advertised price) and eBay’s “Best Offer&rduqo; option (where buyers indicate the price they are willing to pay and can negotiate online with the dealer for the vehicle).
The site also incorporates features that will allow consumers to compare pricing across models or participating dealerships, get tips and advice with a Buyer Checklist, and determine the value of their trade-in or whether their current vehicle may also qualify for government funded Cash For Clunkers incentives.
I can't really see how this will help GM's sales a whole lot...unfortunately I think there is going to be a lot more "innovative marketing" on the horizon (gimmicks) until GM figures out that good cars sell themselves WITHOUT sales tricks.
Posted by: ejj | 10 August 2009 at 05:38 PM