eBay

rich_sipe · ‎12-10-2019

Hello from the eBay Motors Mobile App Product Owner!

I am excited to announce that yesterday we released new eBay Motors apps on Android and iOS.

Go download it here: https://pages.ebay.com/motors/motorsapp/

The new eBay Motors mobile app is built by enthusiasts for enthusiasts. Yesterday we “soft launched” the app to get it into your hands as soon as possible. My team is solely dedicated to making the best auto enthusiast app and will continue to improve and innovate. Read below for a sneak peak of what is coming in 2020!

Why a new motors specific app?

The core eBay app focuses on buying and selling items that are able to be easily shipped, paid for, and sold in quantity. Since cars don’t fit into any of those common categories, we chose to create a new app and focus exclusively on vehicles and our enthusiast users instead of compromising eBay or changing nearly everything about the eBay app just for Cars & Trucks.

Why should I use this app?

Previously buying and selling cars online involved : Listing cars on any auto focused app is impossible as they don’t support app listing. Listing vehicles on any web platform is difficult and tedious. Paying for vehicles on any platform is difficult and risky. Buyer and seller communication on selling sites is fraught with scams, spam, and tire kickers.

With the new eBay motors app today you can easily list your car by taking a picture of the license plate, automatically importing the VIN details, uploading up to 100 photos and a video. The app automatically organizes all of your photos, provides caption abilities, creates a beautiful display of your listing for the web, and eliminates the “Read more” link on the eBay Motors app.

In January 2020 we are introducing escrow payments in the app to be the first platform to provide a secure way to pay for vehicles. No other platform offers managed secure payments - no matter how much you pay for privilege of listing or buying or how many people talk about your listing. Combined with the eBay Vehicle Protection Program which insures transactions up to $100,000 the new eBay Motors is the most secure place to buy and sell cars.

In 2019 I am happy to announce the eBay Motors app will be adding community. Enthusiasts are passionate about their cars and enjoy sharing their knowledge with potential buyers, sellers, and with the enthusiast community. With the eBay Motors community you will discover and discuss our diverse inventory while helping other enthusiasts find their next dream car.

We have more planned for 2020!

The app is still a work in progress. Today some features including bidding/buying link out to an embedded mobile web browser. Some features are not fully done or even started. I chose to release the new apps as early as possible to learn from our enthusiast community and make it better for our users.

If you all want this app to continue to keep getting better please:

Download and use it instead of the eBay web or other app.
Let me know your thoughts and ideas.
Participate in the Community once it launches.
Review the app and give the it max stars on the stores if you love it (this is really important both for encouraging my bosses and helping more people discover the app).
Share it to your friends and other enthusiasts.
If selling a car, list it on the app!

Thanks and Let’s Motor!

Richard

eBay Motors Sr. Mobile PM

marinermikes · ‎12-11-2019

Gee. Escrow/managed payments. Can't wait!

rich_sipe · ‎12-11-2019

Check it out here: https://youtu.be/WOSRbAQTrKQ?t=203

atikovi · ‎12-12-2019

I couldn't imagine looking at car listings on a tiny phone screen let alone trying to create one with dozens of pictures and pages of text. Would be like torture. I discourage anyone looking at my car listing from using a phone instead of at least a laptop and preferably a desktop. Most people barely read an ad completely and viewing it on a phone will make things even worse. I can imagine it now. BUYER: It's got a rust spot on the bottom of the door. I need to return the car and want my money back. SELLER: It was shown in picture #14 and mentioned in paragraph #8. BUYER: Oh, I didn't notice or read that. Now give me my money back.

marinermikes · ‎12-12-2019

Wont have to ask you for the money back. Some one else or eBay will have the money and give it back no problem!

rich_sipe · ‎12-13-2019

Good news! The web still works the same as before so you won't be forced to use the new apps.

In other news - you really should because it is a better experience and if you haven't tried it I can see why you couldn't imagine it being any good.

Why Use the App?

The app autocategorizes images so they are actually findable. Instead of looking through all the images with arrows and a swipe and trying to remember where they are in the listing they are right there.
The app automatically imports the details about your car (1981 and newer) and fills out most of the listing for you. In 2020 the app will also use machine learning and natural language to start the listing copy for you.
The app uploads and views the highest resolution images so you can zoom in and get better details than on the web.
Only using the app can you list up to 100 photos (Plus and Premium Only)! Unlike the 24 image limit on the web the app takes all the images from 25-100 and categorizes them into galleries at high resolution.
Only with the app can you can take and attach videos to your listing! These videos can be viewed directly in the listing on app or web. No matter how big the picture is you can't hear the car running or see it drive in pictures. No other platform has Videos integrated into listings.
Escrow (coming soon) takes care of all the ridiculous payment issues that are par for the course today. The app will be the first launching with escrow.

This is all just what the app accomplishes in the first version. The real reason to use it is because we are making it better every week and unlike the web, we are not limited by what may or may not work well when selling and shipping iPhones or Cases!