Summer/Fall 2012 eDealer Schedule

eBay Motors eDealer Training Program – Summer Schedule

eBay Motors has announced their Summer eDealer Schedule. 

If you are looking to improve your sales skills, or maybe just want to see what other dealers are doing to find success on eBay Motors you should consider attending one of our live training classes. 

In an intimate session, your upper management team will learn how to succeed on eBay Motors and get hands-on training from the experts.  We’ll walk you through the set-up process so you’ll be ready to hit the ground running.  You’ll also learn how other dealerships have found eBay Motors to be a unique platform that allows them to broaden their marketplace and sell more cars—even during tough times. Finally, you’ll learn best practices that will help your dealership take full advantage of all that eBay Motors has to offer.

We have specific classes built for Franchise and Independent dealers so that we can cater the training to each individuals needs. 

All licensed dealers are welcome to attend and while there is no cost to attend, dealers must pre-register to attend.  See below for dates and information to attend.  Call (866) 322-9227 to sign up or email motorstraining@ebay.com

You can alos now register for these classes here: 

eDealer Registration

These dates can also be found at www.ebaymotors.com/training

Date	Location	Event
Wednesday, July 11, 2012	St. Louis, MO	Franchise
Tuesday, July 17, 2012	Midland/ Odessa, TX	Franchise
Wednesday, July 18, 2012	Tampa, FL	Franchise
Wednesday, September 12, 2012	Minneapolis, MN	Franchise
Tuesday, September 18, 2012	Bridgeport, CT/White Plains, NY	Franchise
Thursday, September 20, 2012	Nashville, TN	Franchise
Tuesday, September 25, 2012	Little Rock, AR	Franchise
Tuesday, October 09, 2012	Hartford, CT	Franchise
Tuesday, October 16, 2012	Kansas City, MO	Franchise
Wednesday, October 17, 2012	Phoenix, AZ	Franchise
Wednesday, October 17, 2012	Atlanta, GA	Franchise
Thursday, October 18, 2012	Norfolk, VA	Franchise
Date	Location	Event
Tuesday, July 10, 2012	Pittsburgh, PA	Independent
Thursday, July 26, 2012	San Antonio, TX	Independent
Tuesday, July 24, 2012	Charlotte, NC	Independent
Wednesday, July 25, 2012	Greensboro, NC	Independent
Wednesday, August 08, 2012	Richmond, VA	Independent
Wednesday, August 08, 2012	Omaha, NE	Independent
Wednesday, August 15, 2012	Knoxville, TN	Independent
Thursday, August 16, 2012	Pleasant Prairie, WI	Independent
Wednesday, August 22, 2012	Syracuse, NY	Independent
Wednesday, August 22, 2012	Little Rock, AR	Independent
Thursday, August 23, 2012	Tampa, FL	Independent
Tuesday, August 28, 2012	Washington, DC	Independent
Tuesday, September 11, 2012	Philadelphia, PA	Independent
Wednesday, September 12, 2012	Dallas, TX	Independent
Wednesday, September 19, 2012	Memphis, TN	Independent
Tuesday, September 25, 2012	Phoenix, AZ	Independent
Tuesday, October 09, 2012	Tulsa, OK	Independent
Tuesday, October 30, 2012	Salt Lake City, UT	Independent
Tuesday, October 30, 2012	Birmingham, AL	Independent

eBay Motors - Certified Sales Consultant Program

On May 1, 2012 eBay Motors University will added 5 more classes to their Online University.  This advanced group of classes will allow sellers a full suite of topics to choose from.  Sellers who complete the whole suite of classes will be awarded a certificate of completion and the title of “eBay Motors Certified Sales Consultant Program ”

eBay Motors Online University is a free / on demand training resource for eBay Motors sellers.  There have been 4 classes offered for the past few years offering basic knowledge to sellers. 

The core courses include

1. Selling Vehicles on eBay Motors
2. eBay Stores Basic Set Up Training
3. Selling Parts and Accessories on eBay Motors
4. eBay Motors Dealer Center Listing Tool Training

Any of these course cans be taken ala carte or all 4 can be taken for a well rounded education.   Each class offers a Certificate of Completion for students who desire this. 

The new classes that launched on May 1, 2012 are a part of the Advanced Training Program.  Students who complete these 5 classes get a certification of completing the eBay Motors Certified Sales Consultant Program.  This certificate can be downloaded and hung on a wall, or even better, included in your listings in a picture.  It is also transferable if you change dealerships.

The new courses include

1. The eBay Motors Marketplace
2. Inventory Management and Vehicle Merchandising
3. eBay Motors Pricing Strategy
4. eBay Motors Listing Strategy
5. Lead Management and Vehicle Delivery

To register for these classes go to www.ebaymotors.com/training

Click on REGISTER NOW and fill out the form

Your email address will become your username.  When choosing a password choose any password you want (this should not be the same as your eBay password. 

When you go to login the 2^nd time you will just need to enter in your chosen user name and password

We recommend all sellers on eBay go through these classes.  They are easy to access, free to take and offer an abundance of information. 

If you have any questions please email our training team at motorstraining@ebay.com

Best Practice Spotlight - 3 Top Questions to Selling on eBay Motors

It seems like just about everyday I am in a different city teaching dealers how to sell on eBay Motors.  The cities may change but most of the questions are pretty similar.  For this post I thought I would focus on one of the top questions I am asked. 

“Which inventory should I list on eBay Motors?”

To some this may seem like a simple question, but I find it to be one of the most challenging areas to address.  I believe inventory is one of the most important pieces to the puzzle. 

New dealers will routinely tell me they like eBay Motors and that they always sell their niche/trade in vehicles there, but that is all.  If you are going to build a business selling vehicles on eBay Motors, your inventory plan has to be a little more advanced than just selling niche vehicles when you get them. 

Don’t get me wrong.  There is a great business selling niche and trade in vehicles on eBay Motors.  But you have to decide “Are you going to build a presence online, or are you going to build an online business?”  If you want to build a consistent monthly sales channel with opportunity to grow then you need to put much more consideration into your eBay Motors inventory mix.  It’s all about process. 

To be successful dealerships need to build a dedicated eBay Inventory Strategy. 

#1 - How many vehicles should I list?

Pick the number of vehicles to list using the following formula. 

I want to sell _______this month on eBay Motors

At ______% Closing Ratio this mean I need to list ______ vehicles a month / a week

#2 - Where do I get the inventory?

Here is where I would start.  When building your eBay Inventory Strategy please consider the follow questions. 

–        What is your target for monthly sales / listings?

–        Which cars are going on eBay?

–        Will you be selling new, certified, used, trades or a mix

–        Who will determine which cars are wholesale or go to eBay?

–        Will you buy trades exclusively to sell only on eBay?

–        Will aged inventory go on eBay before going to auction? 

–        If so, at what date will aged inventory go onto eBay?

My recommendation for Franchise Dealers is that at least ½ of their inventory on eBay Motors should be from their brand.  If you are a Toyota dealership listing 10 vehicles a week on eBay then at least 5 should be Toyotas.  For example, your inventory plan could start with one Camry, Corolla, Sienna, Tacoma and Avalon.  The other 5 vehicles will be a mix of trades, aged, certified, new and etc.  Basically whatever you think would do well. 

Basic research will also help.  By looking at eBay Motors directly or through use of a number of tools you can quickly see what is for sale and/or what has recently sold in your market or product line.   

I really like this strategy as it sets a solid process in place and allows you to sell to your strengths.  

#3 Do I relist the same vehicles if they don’t sell?

This is where many fall behind.  Lets say you list 10 vehicles a week on eBay Motors.  Several days before you list the vehicles you choose the inventory to list, prepare the vehicles for sales and then create the listing.  This part people usually get.

The next level though is being ready to relist when the auctions are ending (if the vehicle didn’t sell) In this example lets say the 10 listings ended today and 3 of the vehicles  sold.  This leaves me with 7 left over to relist.  If we are going to stick to having 10 vehicles listed we need to make some decisions.  Are you going to list the 7 vehicles that just ended and add 3 or are you going to pick new vehicles to list?    

These are important decisions to make a couple of days earlier.  Way to many times I have seen dealers fall behind as they started looking at the next vehicles to go on ebay too late and end up missing several days of selling . 

For best success I would suggest that your eBay Sales Rep and UCM/GSM get together a couple of times during the week.  First they need to discuss how the auctions are going and potential sales and second they need to plan together what the next wave of vehicles will be that they list.  Doing this each week will help make sure you always have to right inventory mix for sale and that you stay on process

Top eBay sellers look at every car on their lot, every potential trade and even cars at the auction looking for great sellers. 

eBay Motors offers a number of ways to train you and your staff.  To find out more please visit our Dealer Center.

 http://www.dealercenter.motors.ebay.com/ns/DealerCenter.html

If you have any questions or comments please let me know. 

Clayton Stanfield

Manager – Dealer Training

eBay Motors

cstanfield@ebay.com

eBay Motors eDealer Training Program – Schedule

eBay Motors eDealer Training Program – Schedule

Looking to improve your sales skills, or maybe just want to see what other dealers are doing to find success on eBay Motors?  If so, consider one of our live training classes. 

The partnership between your dealership and eBay Motors begins here.  The eDealer Training Program helps dealers take advantage of the possibilities available to them through selling on eBay Motors, as well as learn about best practices needed to achieve full success.  In these invite-only sessions, our automotive retail experts will walk you through all the basics—from setting up your account to selling your first vehicle.  When you leave this class, you will understand how to grow your online sales exponentially by using the eBay Motors sales channel the right way.

In an intimate session, your upper management team will learn how to succeed on eBay Motors

and get hands-on training from the experts.  We’ll walk you through the set-up process

so you’ll be ready to hit the ground running.  You’ll also learn how other dealerships have found eBay Motors to be a unique platform that allows them to broaden their marketplace and sell more cars—even during tough times. Finally, you’ll learn best practices that will help your dealership take full advantage of all that eBay Motors has to offer.

We have specific classes built for Franchise and Independent dealers so that we can cater the training to each individuals needs. 

The eDealer Training Program has released their Spring/Summer schedule.  This live training series is a high demand training session.  All licensed dealers are welcome to attend and while there is no cost to attend, dealers must pre-register to attend.  See below for dates and information to attend.  Call (866) 322-9227 to sign up or email motorstraining@ebay.com

These dates can also be found at www.ebaymotors.com/training

Franchise Dealer Events

Wednesday, April 11, 2012	Montgomery, AL	Franchise
Wednesday, April 11, 2012	Orlando, FL	Franchise
Wednesday, April 18, 2012	Newark, NJ	Franchise
Tuesday, April 24, 2012	Boston, MA	Franchise
Tuesday, May 08, 2012	Dallas, TX	Franchise
Tuesday, May 15, 2012	Pleasant Prairie, WI	Franchise
Wednesday, May 16, 2012	Denver, CO	Franchise
Tuesday, May 22, 2012	Ft. Lauderdale, FL	Franchise
Wednesday, May 23, 2012	Miami, FL	Franchise
Tuesday, June 12, 2012	Omaha, NE	Franchise
Tuesday, June 19, 2012	Charlotte, NC	Franchise
Thursday, June 21, 2012	Rio Grand Valley, TX	Franchise
Independent Dealer Events
Tuesday, April 10, 2012	Oklahoma City, OK	Independent
Tuesday, April 10, 2012	Detroit, MI	Independent
Tuesday, April 17, 2012	Columbus, OH	Independent
Wednesday, April 25, 2012	Atlanta, GA	Independent
Wednesday, May 09, 2012	Louisville, KY	Independent
Tuesday, May 22, 2012	Hartford, CT	Independent
Wednesday, June 06, 2012	Portland, OR	Independent
Wednesday, June 06, 2012	White Plains, NY	Independent
Tuesday, June 19, 2012	Gary, IN	Independent
Tuesday, June 26, 2012	Rochester, NY	Independent
Tuesday, June 26, 2012	Seattle, WA	Independent

eBay Motors Online University - Grand Reopening

 eBay Motors has completely rebuilt their Online Training University.  The courses and functionality are all new and now available for FREE for dealers.   www.ebaymotors.com/training 

eBay Motors Online University is a free / on demand training resource for eBay Motors sellers.  There have been 4 classes offered for the past few years offering basic knowledge to sellers. 

The core courses include

1.       Selling Vehicles on eBay Motors

2.       eBay Stores Basic Set Up Training

3.       Selling Parts and Accessories on eBay Motors

4.       eBay Motors Dealer Center Listing Tool Training

Any of these course cans be taken ala carte or all 4 can be taken for a well rounded education.   Each class offers a Certificate of Completion for students who desire this. 

To register for these classes go to www.ebaymotors.com/training

Click on REGISTER NOW and fill out the form

Your email address will become your username.  When choosing a password choose any password you want (this should not be the same as your eBay password. 

When you go to login the 2^nd time you will just need to enter in your chosen user name and password

We recommend all sellers on eBay go through these classes.  They are easy to access, free to take and offer an abundance of information. 

If you have any questions please email our training team at motorstraining@ebay.com

eBay Motors Sales Best Practices: Expanding Your Reach

eBay Motors Sales Best Practices: Expanding Your Reach: Expanding Your Reach Last year, 75 percent of vehicles sold on eBay Motors were interstate transactions, where the vehicles were delivered t...

Expanding Your Reach

Expanding Your Reach

Last year, 75 percent of vehicles sold on eBay Motors were interstate transactions, where the vehicles were delivered to buyers outside the state of the sellers

When setting yourself up to sell on eBay Motors one of the first things to do is make sure you are able to handle sales to customers in different states and/or countries.  Each state has different laws when it comes to title and taxation so please make sure you are up on the law.  Most state DMV websites have this information.  Also check with your lenders to see if there are any special requirements when selling to buyers in different states.  Usually you can achieve most of the paper work via mail, but make sure and verify this.  

When you look at 75% of the vehicles sold on eBay being interstate transactions you also start to recognize that a significant number of your buyers are going to purchase your vehicle sight unseen and reliant entirely on your pictures and descriptions, along with phone and email communication. 

How do you sell a vehicle to a customer sight unseen and make a reasonable gross profit on the vehicle.  The word is transparency and it leads to trust.  A customer on eBay bids on your vehicle auction and when they win they send you a deposit as they finalize their paperwork.  Once the paperwork is done they either fly in or have the vehicle delivered to their dealership.   Dealers who do not do a great job with merchandising or communication are usually the ones who say they do not sell many cars on eBay.  Sit in the buyers shoes for a second.  If you saw a car you were interested in on eBay 2000 miles away and the listing had 6 pictures and the salesperson never called you back.  Would you buy this vehicle?  If you did I bet you would bid low.  The customer is thinking “I will buy the car if I get the best deal ever, but I am not comfortable enough to offer closer to retail.   They may low ball you but why would they pay full price if they have unanswered questions or concerns?

What we need to do is paint a picture for the buyer where they see our listing and trust that the vehicle they fell in love with on eBay is the same vehicle that is delivered to their house 7 days after they buy it. 

When you create a listing that engages the buyer, gives them a great feel of the vehicle and its condition and then follow that all up with great customer service you make the process convenient and safe. 

Success Drivers

This class is going to answer many questions for you.  We are going to tell you how many pictures to take, what pictures to take, how to write a description, how to price your vehicles and etc.  Long term success on your part is determined by how well you handle the variable success drivers.  These success drivers are Inventory, Training and Process. 

Inventory

What inventory will you sell on eBay?  You should start with your core inventory as these are the best vehicles to sell on eBay Motors.  From there decide if you will sell trade-ins, aged inventory or niche type vehicles as well.  Anyone can sell the Bat Mobile.  But, the good dealers can sell any and every car on eBay Motors.  If you are going to have consistent and long term success on eBay Motors I highly recommend setting up an inventory strategy.  Proper inventory selection is critical to your success and we will cover it in depth in this class. 

Training

Training is equally important.  eBay Motors is different that you’re other lead providers.  We are running auctions and nationwide listings.  The questions and daily assignments are a little different and with that someone at your dealership should be your eBay Champion.  eBay Motors is a transactional site meaning you are not getting leads asking “Do you have this in yellow?”  Your bidders are essentially making cash offers on your vehicles and with that comes a little more in depth sales process. 

Process

Process is key.  What are you r goals and how are you going to accomplish them?  If you list a vehicle on eBay Motors and it sells what do you do?  What will you do if a listed vehicle does not sell?  And so on.  Write out your processes and make sure everyone is on the same page. 

Success on eBay Motors comes through a proactive approach.  This is not a set it and forget it system.  Success on eBay Motors takes work.  You are managing auctions, answering questions, creating listings and managing feedback all at once, but you are also hitting a buying audience that would otherwise not be considering your dealership.  Setting up specific processes will help get you started and help ensure long term success on eBay Motors. 

For more information on eBay Motors, along with a vast array of training and support opportunities, please visit our new Dealer Hub.  http://www.dealerhub.motors.ebay.com/