Samantha Stevens Selling Your Car Interview

Samantha Stevens Selling Your Car Interview

Aussie car owners are heading online to turbo charge their vehicle sales, with the nation's leading online classified sites experiencing exponential growth in private car listings. Since June 2009, listings across the major car classifieds have doubled – a trend led by Gumtree, Australia's number 1 classifieds.

With more private car listings (113,000) than all of its competitors combined (106,000), Gumtree's automotive category is growing rapidly. In the last year the site as a whole has experienced 94.4% growth, as well a whopping 107% growth in the automotive category.

Gumtree is investing in the automotive category, already 150,000 listings strong, by welcoming dealers to its site. This growth trend is supported by a new report that finds the majority (89%) of Aussie motorists recognise the benefit of buying cars online, with the principle reasons being:
1. Ease of comparing different vehicles (62%)
2. Ease and convenience of browsing at home (61%)
3. Ability to quickly and easily find information about the car they're looking to buy (56%)
4. Ability to find a cheaper deal (46%)
5. Ability to quickly respond to bargains (31%)

Gumtree's Head of Automotive, Gian Minns, believes more Australians will buy and sell online over the coming months as the site continues to improve the quality of its offering. 'With dealers now on board, we're offering a wider variety of cars at every price point. We want the same success for Gumtree's automotive category that has been achieved for the site overall – to be the first place people go to buy and sell."

Australia's smartphone adoption has also impacted the online classifieds market. 'Mobile opens up a wealth of opportunity for consumers to browse and create listings on their mobile devices, but just as importantly, it allows traditional dealerships to connect with the 3.5 million unique visitors that come through the site each month. In the automotive category alone, 40% of our traffic is now via mobile.

We predict mobile traffic will exceed desktop traffic before the end of the year," said Gian.

Interview with Samantha Stevens

Samantha Stevens is a motoring journalist who has written for Wheels, Motor Magazine and many other notable Australian and international motoring publications. Samantha was previously a presenter of Channel Nine's The Car Show and is currently the Motoring Editor for A Current Affair and well as a Presenter and Reporter for Foxtel and SBS.

Samantha also runs in two tarmac rally championships: the Australian Targa Championship, and the Australian Tarmac Rally Championship. She operates her own rally team. Along with navigator Claire Ryan, she won a national title, the 2010 Australian Tarmac Championship (both Early Modern and Category 8), in their first full year of rally competition. This was followed by a second title in 2012, with Claire and her navigator husband, Daniel, sharing co-driving duties. In 2012, she became the first woman to win a rally outright at a national level (2012).

Question: What are the top things a seller needs to do, before listing their car, online for sale?

Samantha Stevens: Selling a car is a big deal, but it's surprising how the little details can make the experience so much better. First up, spend a little bit of money and get the car detailed professionally (usually about $150). You will be amazed how much of a difference it can make to the overall look and appeal of your car. Next, straight after the detail, take the photos. Take as many as you can, as many people won't even look at a listing without a photo or a good selection of shots, both interior and exterior. Take the photos on a clean background in good light. Be sure to document any faults as well – a visual representation for a buyer will make them trust you, and save both of you time. There's nothing worse than making loads of appointments – as a buyer as well as a seller – to be disappointed by a misrepresented listing.

Make sure you have all the documentation ready. If you have not kept up your log books, a recent receipt is always good proof that you have looked after your car; the more information you can provide, the more people will be attracted to your ad. You may wish to mention the number of owners (if said number is low), the kilometres, any modifications or special features, safety features, or if there are specific times to view it. This will all help.

Finally, when you are almost ready to list the ad, do the research on pricing to make sure you get the best deal.


Question: How can sellers know what price to sell their car for?

Samantha Stevens: There are loads of information sites for car comparisons out there. There are many sites which will give you a good, unbiased guide as to what you should expect, and where you should set the bar for your car.

You should also consider any work that is required; when was the last time you serviced the car? Do you have a full service history? What are the tyres like? Are there any notable scratches or dings? This will affect the price – and if a buyer turns up and you have not been honest from the start, they may shy away.


Question: Is there a particular time of year when it's better to sell certain cars?

Samantha Stevens: The end of the calendar year, the end of the year, and the end of the month is always a good time to get a deal on a car, but it is also the time of year when car dealerships are on a selling spree and you may find some competition for your sale. Research by Gumtree reveals most Australians are already aware of these periods.

However, the research also reveals most Aussies don't know that the end of the calendar year sales are driven by retailers who are keen to clear out last year's-plated stock. Also, with everyone spending up on Christmas presents, the dealerships can be a bit quiet, so the sales are the incentive. While a lot of buyers will be on the lookout for deals at this time, the market will also be quite busy with cars and bargains for sale.


Question: How can we make our car and advert stand out from the rest, especially when selling a common car?

Samantha Stevens: 1. Categorise your listing: When buyers are searching, they want to be able to find the car they're looking for quickly and easily, so make sure you categorise by make and model correctly. If there is an option to add tags, be sure to put in all that are relevant to attract more potential buyers.

2. Create a narrative: Step into the shoes of a car salesman and make your listing exciting to read so that potential buyers don't switch off after the first few sentences
3. Include bright and abundant photographs: A picture speaks a thousand words – and it's never been truer than with a car listing! Potential buyers are quick to judge, so make sure your photos are bright, clear, high-res and showcase each angle of your vehicle

4. Provide the specifics: Buyers will want to know the details, so be sure to share the specifications, kilometers, engine size, additional extras. And be honest!

5. Set a reasonable price: there is always room for negotiations so do some research into the benchmark for a similar make/model and set a price that is realistic. Make sure the price is not too expensive as you may not get any interest. Too cheap, and people may wonder what's wrong with the car


Question: What types and how many photos should be uploaded when selling our car online?

Samantha Stevens: Include plenty of bright photographs. Potential buyers are quick to judge, so make sure your photos are bright, clear, high-res and showcase each angle of your vehicle.


Question: How can we protect ourselves when looking at buying or selling online?

Samantha Stevens: When using classifieds sites like Gumtree, you should always ensure that you meet the buyer and inspect the car in person. If you're not confident with what to look for when buying a car, take someone who is along with you. Also ensure that you don't transfer money to someone you don't know and remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.


Question: What should we be looking for from adverts when looking to buy a car, online?

Samantha Stevens: Just like our selling tips, the same rules apply when looking to buy. Examine the images, the car listing details, and the specifications closely. Look up a car comparison site to see if the price is right for the kilometers and year of the model. And don't be emotional – a car may look like your ultimate dream machine in the pictures, but you must ensure that it is safe, roadworthy and value for money or the dream will quickly become a nightmare.


Question: Why are people turning to sties like Gumtree Automotive to buy and sell used cars?

Samantha Stevens: Gumtree is investing in the automotive category, already 150,000 listings strong, by welcoming dealers to its site. This growth trend is supported by a new report that finds the majority (89%) of Aussie motorists recognise the benefit of buying cars online, with the principle reasons being: 1. Ease of comparing different vehicles (62%)
2. Ease and convenience of browsing at home (61%)
3. Ability to quickly and easily find information about the car they're looking to buy (56%)
4. Ability to find a cheaper deal (46%)
5. Ability to quickly respond to bargains (31%)


Question: What's a typical day like, for you?

Samantha Stevens: As an automotive journalist, a rally team owner and the Media and marketing Manager at the Sydney Motorsport Park raceway, my day revolves around cars – writing about them, driving them, or working them up for the next competition. There isn't room for much else – it's a good thing my husband is also my rally co-driver and equally obsessed with cars.


Question: What car do you drive?

Samantha Stevens: A Ford Focus RS


Question: If you could have any car, what would you choose as your daily driver?

Samantha Stevens: I bought it this year! A Ford Focus RS. As a rally nut, the WRC derivatives for the road are my ultimate car, and my favourite rally cars are the Evo 6 and the Focus RS. I own both.


Interview by Brooke Hunter