My personal selling experience wit BAT
12-07-2021, 09:37 AM
#21
Melting Slicks
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...placed_sellerI
I recently had my 57 for sale on BAT. It took much longer to get the car active as they have some pretty silly rules.They insist on have around 50 pictures for the car or they won’t list it. In my case there was no reason to have engine number pictures because my car doesn’t have an original engine. There were no real reason to have undercarriage pictures because it is a daily driver and not detailed. The written description was supposed to list it as a rust free alway sw states car but they just kept kicking that back. I have sold close to 5000 cars in my lifetime so I have a pretty good idea of how to write an ad. I sent them my ad I had previously post here on the forum and their “auction specialist” (I am thinking some mllinial that has never owned or sold a car of his own in his lifetime) just picked a few thing out about the car that you typically see in EVERY BAT description. Much of what the really important stuff about my particular car were overlooked and much of it was wrong. I had to correct their ad several times. They still wouldn’t list anywhere near the number of things that would be important to someone that would be truly interested in my car would want to know. I finally got them to accept a picture of a list of things that I had in a 3 ring binder but that was buried in the pictures. Finally got fed up with them and just “signed off” on what the seemed to want. They think they have a “secret sauce” formula that gets cars sold which might be ok for a numbers matching pretty original car but there are a lot more modified cars out there than originals that they need to think about. Much of their ad verbiage is the same for ever car. One of their favorites is “how the power is transferred to the rear wheels” as if any gear head in the world doesn’t know.
So my car did not sell on their site and I am not crying about it being their fault. A car like mine need to have at least two bidders that understand the value of and WANT those things in a car. I set what I feel is a very reasonable reserve on the car based on what I have in it which is much more. I answered every question that people asked as soon as I saw them. It just was not my car’s day. From the email address I received from BAT the indication was that it was a DEALER from Australia that had the high bid of $66k.
So, the car is now on EBay with a Buy It Now of $70k so will see. That is the bottom line on the car. Many watcher but that means little as often those are just people studying the market, own a similar car or just plain voyeurs.
I recently had my 57 for sale on BAT. It took much longer to get the car active as they have some pretty silly rules.They insist on have around 50 pictures for the car or they won’t list it. In my case there was no reason to have engine number pictures because my car doesn’t have an original engine. There were no real reason to have undercarriage pictures because it is a daily driver and not detailed. The written description was supposed to list it as a rust free alway sw states car but they just kept kicking that back. I have sold close to 5000 cars in my lifetime so I have a pretty good idea of how to write an ad. I sent them my ad I had previously post here on the forum and their “auction specialist” (I am thinking some mllinial that has never owned or sold a car of his own in his lifetime) just picked a few thing out about the car that you typically see in EVERY BAT description. Much of what the really important stuff about my particular car were overlooked and much of it was wrong. I had to correct their ad several times. They still wouldn’t list anywhere near the number of things that would be important to someone that would be truly interested in my car would want to know. I finally got them to accept a picture of a list of things that I had in a 3 ring binder but that was buried in the pictures. Finally got fed up with them and just “signed off” on what the seemed to want. They think they have a “secret sauce” formula that gets cars sold which might be ok for a numbers matching pretty original car but there are a lot more modified cars out there than originals that they need to think about. Much of their ad verbiage is the same for ever car. One of their favorites is “how the power is transferred to the rear wheels” as if any gear head in the world doesn’t know.
So my car did not sell on their site and I am not crying about it being their fault. A car like mine need to have at least two bidders that understand the value of and WANT those things in a car. I set what I feel is a very reasonable reserve on the car based on what I have in it which is much more. I answered every question that people asked as soon as I saw them. It just was not my car’s day. From the email address I received from BAT the indication was that it was a DEALER from Australia that had the high bid of $66k.
So, the car is now on EBay with a Buy It Now of $70k so will see. That is the bottom line on the car. Many watcher but that means little as often those are just people studying the market, own a similar car or just plain voyeurs.
Ultimately your car is worth what someone is willing to pay. If someone doesn't meet your reserve then it's probably is too high.
12-07-2021, 09:43 AM
#22
Safety Car
Member Since: Jan 2006
Location: Smyrna/Vinings, Georgia
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Certainly hit or miss. Only takes one ***. I towed a 66 coupe to Mecom auction, no sale it at 72k. Took it home and sold it on ebay buy it now for 83k. Buyer never asked one question or said one word. you never know.
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biggd (12-07-2021)
12-07-2021, 10:11 AM
#23
Racer
Our car sold on Hemmings (not auction, the regular ad). We also bought our '65 Corvette on Hemmings - but it was local and we went in person to see it. Hemmings pictures are usually not as good as BAT, but clearly the BAT people try to minimize poor areas, often by highlighting some minor point instead. How many real close ups do you see of C2 headlamp buckets?
12-07-2021, 01:48 PM
#26
Race Director
I know this is a slight hijack but has anyone sold a collector car on eBay in the last couple of years and if so, discuss what fees ended up being paid by the seller and the buyer?
I started to list a car on there a year and half ago nbut never could find a definitive answer on fees. The most common FAQ response was “it depends” and then you could not find out what it depended on, at least monetarily.
I started to list a car on there a year and half ago nbut never could find a definitive answer on fees. The most common FAQ response was “it depends” and then you could not find out what it depended on, at least monetarily.
12-07-2021, 06:09 PM
#27
Race Director
Thread Starter
Member Since: Nov 2003
Location: Cottonwood AZ
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C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
I know this is a slight hijack but has anyone sold a collector car on eBay in the last couple of years and if so, discuss what fees ended up being paid by the seller and the buyer?
I started to list a car on there a year and half ago nbut never could find a definitive answer on fees. The most common FAQ response was “it depends” and then you could not find out what it depended on, at least monetarily.
I started to list a car on there a year and half ago nbut never could find a definitive answer on fees. The most common FAQ response was “it depends” and then you could not find out what it depended on, at least monetarily.
TOTALLY! I just listed my 57 on EBay and could not figure it out either after spending a lot of time on their site. I also called for help and the perso I spoke with could not give me an answer so they transferred me to another and I was on hold for over an hour before I gave up. I decided that if the car sells there (not optometrist) and the fee was too high I would argue about it then.
12-07-2021, 09:22 PM
#28
Le Mans Master
I'd like to say up front, I have no affiliation with BaT... but I do read it daily, I'm on their email list. I do find it a useful resource for gathering data and capturing pictures of cars I have an interest in. I also enjoy the trip down memory lane on some of the unique and unusual cars, trucks and motorcycles I've seen, heard of or been around over the past 60 (or so) years.
I agree with the comments on the 'boiler-plate' write ups being all too common and largely revealing little specifically about the car. With that in mind, here are just a few observations on BaT I've noted over the years.
1) If you want your car to run during a specific period of time, plan well ahead and do some research on how long it takes to get it listed and appear. A common complaint is that the seller wanted a specific period or date for it to appear and it didn't make it. It basically appears when it's time comes up. Again, plan ahead.
2) Regarding comments which appear at the bottom of the listing. There are often some very knowledgeable folks that follow BaT, their comments can be very helpful in learning more about the car and even describing its uniqueness. There are also folks who in my opinion are the typical internet trolls, not so many and easy to spot, So as has been said, do your best to ignore them. This is also one of the best places for the seller to 'sell' the car. A lot of good questions get asked here and they provide an excellent opening for the seller to answer questions as well as describe the uniqueness and special circumstances/features of the car. I often find a lot more interesting things about a car in the comment section than in the actual write-up. As a seller you need to pay attention to this part of the auction and respond as honestly (and promptly) as you can when possible. In my opinion it is better to say "I just don't know" or "I will try to find out", than to ignore the question or provide a 'non-answer', answer.
3) Finally read through as many ads for cars like the one you are selling as you can to see what leaps out at you, good or bad. The same for pictures, some pictures really do tell a story, others are just pictures. Which pictures grab your attention and which ones just make you cringe. Use that as a guide when taking your pictures. Sometimes I think the photographer is in it just for the picture count. Do use it as an opportunity to highlight what is really special about your car.
Good luck... GUSTO
I do find it a useful resource for gathering data and capturing pictures of cars I have an interest in. I also enjoy the trip down memory lane on some of the unique and unusual cars, trucks and motorcycles I've seen, heard of or been around over the past 60 (or so) years.I agree with the comments on the 'boiler-plate' write ups being all too common and largely revealing little specifically about the car. With that in mind, here are just a few observations on BaT I've noted over the years.
1) If you want your car to run during a specific period of time, plan well ahead and do some research on how long it takes to get it listed and appear. A common complaint is that the seller wanted a specific period or date for it to appear and it didn't make it. It basically appears when it's time comes up. Again, plan ahead.
2) Regarding comments which appear at the bottom of the listing. There are often some very knowledgeable folks that follow BaT, their comments can be very helpful in learning more about the car and even describing its uniqueness. There are also folks who in my opinion are the typical internet trolls, not so many and easy to spot, So as has been said, do your best to ignore them. This is also one of the best places for the seller to 'sell' the car. A lot of good questions get asked here and they provide an excellent opening for the seller to answer questions as well as describe the uniqueness and special circumstances/features of the car. I often find a lot more interesting things about a car in the comment section than in the actual write-up. As a seller you need to pay attention to this part of the auction and respond as honestly (and promptly) as you can when possible. In my opinion it is better to say "I just don't know" or "I will try to find out", than to ignore the question or provide a 'non-answer', answer.
3) Finally read through as many ads for cars like the one you are selling as you can to see what leaps out at you, good or bad. The same for pictures, some pictures really do tell a story, others are just pictures. Which pictures grab your attention and which ones just make you cringe. Use that as a guide when taking your pictures. Sometimes I think the photographer is in it just for the picture count. Do use it as an opportunity to highlight what is really special about your car.
Good luck... GUSTO
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ToySnakePMC (12-08-2021)
12-08-2021, 02:27 AM
#29
Burning Brakes
BAT Has Always Worked For Me
For what it's worth, I have bought and sold on BAT for many years and every time with very positive results. It takes several weeks to get a car listed on BAT, I know that and plan accordingly. The car I sold last spring, no reserve, I supplied almost 350 quality, in-focus pictures that covered everything top to bottom and 6, high definition videos. I knew ahead of time that BAT will deviate very little from their standard, write-up formula. No problem, I just use the comment section to add all of my own pertinent information that they didn't include. As GUSTO said, the comments section is where you as the seller, get to highlight what you want buyers to know about your car. I always stay positive and non-combative with folks who leave comments. I check the comments section for questions several times a day and try to get an answer posted as quickly as possible. If you don't know something, just say that and that you'll try your best to find the answer or supply an additional requested photograph. I personally enjoy the give and take with most of the commenters and try to have fun with it.
I've sold on eBay and had the winning bidder back out with, "oh, that bid was by mistake!" or had kids goofing around with fake bids. On BAT, the winning bidder's credit card is immediately charged for 5% of the selling price, up to a cap of $5,000 so they have some skin in the game when they bid. From a selling point of view, for the regular, not the premium auctions, as a seller your only expense is $99. That's it, no other fees. The buyer pays a 5% fee up to the BAT cap of $5,000. As I see it, that's a very good deal for both the buyer and seller.
Be prepared ahead of time, have all your ducks in a row before you list. Use high quality, well thought out photographs. Think about what's in the background and stage the car accordingly. I will spent several hours doing the photo and video shoot. Work with BAT and accept the way they run their business. More times than not, it'll work out well for you. At least it has for me. It's the only place I'd consider for selling a vehicle.
Thomas
I've sold on eBay and had the winning bidder back out with, "oh, that bid was by mistake!" or had kids goofing around with fake bids. On BAT, the winning bidder's credit card is immediately charged for 5% of the selling price, up to a cap of $5,000 so they have some skin in the game when they bid. From a selling point of view, for the regular, not the premium auctions, as a seller your only expense is $99. That's it, no other fees. The buyer pays a 5% fee up to the BAT cap of $5,000. As I see it, that's a very good deal for both the buyer and seller.
Be prepared ahead of time, have all your ducks in a row before you list. Use high quality, well thought out photographs. Think about what's in the background and stage the car accordingly. I will spent several hours doing the photo and video shoot. Work with BAT and accept the way they run their business. More times than not, it'll work out well for you. At least it has for me. It's the only place I'd consider for selling a vehicle.
Thomas