You don’t have to drive far in your car to realise that selling a vehicle – online – is BIG business. Besides insurance ads, ‘sell your car’ billboards compete for your attention along South Africa’s highways and busy intersections. Clever taglines promising the best deal for your car leave you spoilt for choice as car-selling platforms offer to streamline the entire process. 

The automotive industry is vast and the second-hand vehicle market is both influential in our local economy and also seeing considerable growth.

If it is time to sell your car, a review of current trends may help you to see the wood for the trees in your quest to get the best price. 

#1 A cautious shift to EVs

The global shift to EVs (electric vehicles) and hybrid alternatives is hogging the media limelight, and South Africans – although coming a little later to the party – are certainly talking more and more about these green, eco-conscious options. The conversations are complex in our local context, but there is no denying that EV sales are on the rise. Selling your car for a hybrid or EV may certainly be worth considering in the near future. (Here’s hoping the same leaps and bounds occur in our electricity grid and charging infrastructure to support this trend).

#2 A burgeoning competitive market

The ongoing reality of fuel price hikes, a struggling economy and rising interest rates, selling your car to buy a more affordable second-hand option is an excellent option.  

But, as mentioned, there is a lot of noise and advertising when it comes to selling your car. New online businesses are popping up like mushrooms after the rain and at a first glance, many look the same.

So, what we are likely to see – especially in such a highly competitive market – are key differentiators that set each platform apart when it comes to

• customer service experiences (efficiency, availability and professionalism), 
• positive online reviews and ratings (from Google and Hellopeter), 
• a refined and optimized user experience (simplicity, speed and convenience),
• getting a great deal (more than just 1 offer).

#3 A welcome price drop

After the unprecedented disruption in the new car market over the last couple of years – due to global chip shortages and logistical supply chain challenges – the increased demand for used cars saw prices spike. But as stability slowly returns after COVID-19, and more new cars re-enter the market at speed, second-hand car prices are likely to see a downward trend in most sectors. 

This is good news if you are buying a used car, but if you are selling it means that you need to get the best out of your selling process by partnering with a specialist platform that does more than just provide convenience at a lower price.

If you are selling a car, you will want to do your due diligence on the best online platforms that will get you the best price as well as what you can do to increase the value of your vehicle. 

Automotive trends come and go, but the demand for quality used cars is not going anywhere. 

And if you are not quite yet ready to splurge on an EV or hybrid alternative, buying and selling within the second-hand car market definitely ticks the sustainability box; allowing you to rest easy as a conscious consumer.