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GM-eBay to launch car-selling program

Tamara Keith Aug 10, 2009
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GM-eBay to launch car-selling program

Tamara Keith Aug 10, 2009
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Steve Chiotakis: Cash for Clunkers mania is going online. GM and eBay are expected to announce today the start of car and truck sales on the web. The west coast launch will allow customers to type in specs for their clunkers and see if they’ll qualify for a trade-in. Tamara Keith has more.


TAMARA KEITH: The motto on GM’s eBay web page is: Our Best Cars, Your Best Offer. The program launches tomorrow and will start with only California-based GM dealers. Apparently, the thought is tech-centric California is a good place to test out the program.

Buying a Chevy on eBay won’t be like trying to buy a Darth Vader pez dispenser. When it comes to these cars, there won’t be bidding wars. Shoppers will have two options: Buy now at the list price, or make an offer and negotiate the price with a dealer. Locals can pick up their cars at the dealer lot, out-of-state shoppers can ask to have the vehicles shipped.

This isn’t entirely new for eBay. The web store already sells used cars. For GM, this is just another effort to generate excitement about its vehicles after emerging from bankruptcy earlier this summer.

In Washington, I’m Tamara Keith for Marketplace.

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