Legit buyer or not? Once Driven.

Once Driven - How do I know if a buyer is legit?

There are many people on the Internet trying to scam individuals out of their vehicle and/or money. So how can you tell if a buyer is legit? After years of selling vehicles online, we've heard of many schemes and scams. Since the late 1990's, most of them have been transacted via email due to the ease and anonymity of setting up email accounts.

The simplest way to determine if someone is legit is to have them call you. If you are selling a vehicle on Once Driven and someone suspicious emails you, ask them to call you to discuss the vehicle. Considering most scams originate from overseas or foreign countries, the vast majority of scammers will move on to their next target. Phone numbers are traceable and it's difficult to hide their true intentions via phone.

If someone does try to perpetuate a scam via phone, it is typically done by pretending to call from a company.  Over the years, our staff has been alerted to individuals calling on customers on behalf of Once Driven.  If you ever receive a call from Once Driven, please listen for a name and phone number. No representative from our company will call a buyer or seller without leaving proper credentials.

If you would like to learn more about common Internet car buying scams, visit this page:

http://www.oncedriven.blogspot.com/2013/07/beware-of-common-used-car-buying-scams.html

If you feel a Once Driven representative contacted you errantly OR if you simply wish not to have a representative contact you, please visit this page:

http://oncedriven.com/quality-assurance/

If you have additional questions, feel free to chat live with representative on our website or call our Customer Support Team at 888-941-6515.

Taking good photos of your used car is important to selling.

It is said "A picture is worth a thousand words.", or in the case of selling a vehicle, it could be worth thousands of dollars. When selling a used car, sellers should understand the importance good photos play in the process. Studies have shown that online listings with photos are viewed nearly twice as much as those without. Once Driven recommends having four photos (or more) that give buyers a good overall look at the vehicle.

Here are a few recommendations:

Wash the vehicle.

Clean cars photo well and suggest to buyers they have been maintained.

Take photos in a well-lit area.

Avoid distracting shadows from trees, etc. Choose a nice, sunny day.

Include an interior picture.
The driver's seat and dash area are good. Remove trash and personal belongings.

Omit people from the photo.
Including people in the photo may distract buyers and/or send the wrong message.

Include photos of what you want buyers to see.

If you have custom wheels, engine or an immaculately maintained interior, include a photo.

Here are a few examples of photos that need improvement:

Clean, decent lighting, the signs and shadows are a bit distracting.

Car has decent lighting, but it's filthy.

Trash in the floorboard is a no-no. Looks like a fresh spill.

Nice, clean interior. Should have captured more of the console.