70% of South Africans would consider selling their cars online
There are many advantages to shopping online for vehicles, according to Gumtree research

When asked whether they had already sold or bought a vehicle online, 18% had sold and 14% had bought online. Those most likely to sell their vehicle online include residents from Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, who earn up to R50,000 a month.
They are also, on average, under 49 years old. Those most likely to buy a vehicle online live in the same three provinces, are under the age of 34, and, on average, earn less than R25,000 a month.
“Online shopping has increased significantly this year, with lower barriers to entry such as simple websites, well-designed mobile apps, and improved fulfilment, seeing confidence among online shoppers growing,” says Estelle Nagel, Gumtree SA brand marketing manager. “This confidence seems to be extending to big-ticket items, with the many advantages of online shopping being as valid for vehicles as they are for other investment purchases.”
Those selling vehicles online found the far wider reach of online marketing more appealing, along with being able to save time through quicker sales, and items being on sale 24 hours a day. They also found it easier to negotiate directly, and achieved higher prices than they would have if they were selling to a dealer.
Concerns about buying and selling a vehicle online included potential fraud, and being unable to see the true condition of a vehicle, as well as a worry about untrustworthy warranties. Arranging test drives could also be problematic.
The top five vehicle choices respondents would consider purchasing include Toyota (30%), Mercedes-Benz (26%), Volkswagen and BMW (both at 24%) and Audi (18%), proving that the German marques are high up on the desirability rankings.
Two thirds of respondents said that they were not nervous about Covid-19 if they were to buy or sell a vehicle online. Gumtree has more than 80,000 vehicles listed for sale by dealers and private sellers.
This article was paid for by Gumtree.
