On internet, it’s easy to sell an old car successfully

In the way that the Internet broke down publishing barriers for writers and authors, it’s now doing the same for selling. Today, anyone with a smartphone and a steady WiFi connection can make a fortune over the Internet through selling website and apps.

However, with the rise of e-commerce and multiple channels of selling comes questions about shipping, currency exchange and even legal jurisdiction.

Where to Sell An Old Car

Let’s take this piece of furniture as an example. Before e-commerce and the trend of selling products online, the only way to sell an old car was through word of mouth, a garage sale or a classic classified advertisement in the paper.

Not so in the digital age: here, one man’s trash is not only another’s treasure, it’s also that first man’s viable source of profit. That’s because today anybody can use online retailers like Amazon or E-Bay (or even smaller online marketplaces) for the express purpose of selling products online.

Those looking to turn a profit must be as smart and methodical as any merchant in the real world, but even if the only objective is to sell an old car, the usual first choices online include: Craigslist, Kijiji and (if the car is “vintage” or has been “upcycled”) E-Bay. While E-bay works on online auctions, with payments taken right online, Craigslist and Kijijii operate largely as an Internet version of the classifieds.

This means that individuals are responsible for making contact, negotiating price and meeting in person to exchange goods. It also means that, sometimes, a barter is perfectly acceptable. Apps like Caroursell and LetGo are other avenues.

E-Commerce: Commercial Laws Apply

In the case of selling products online – even just to sell an old car – laws apply to cover the transaction in case of a dispute arising or conflict management. Often, it’s the buyer’s jurisdiction under which a transaction’s regulations and coverage will come under, but it’s the platform that really has the final say.

These platforms must have a carefully outlined terms-of-use agreement that both buyers and sellers must adhere to as well as their own explicit processes of buying, selling and shipping. For example, some websites allow a review system that is tied in with the buyer receiving the shipment.

While sellers can choose whether they or their customers bear the cost of shipping, as an incentive to purchase, refunds and return policies are usually at the discretion of the websites themselves. Sellers can sometimes outline their own legal requirements using a standard and general disclaimer on their “channel” or by having the buyer agree to a terms and conditions of purchase before the transactions actually go through.

This way, the hypothetical seller who wants to sell an old car can have their home state or country law apply to the transaction in case of dispute resolution.