Trade Me starts listing offshore cars

Trade Me Motors is combining with an Auckland-based company to list 200 offshore vehicles on a trial basis.

New Zealand’s biggest online marketplace has announced the venture with Autoport, which started today, January 24, in an email bulletin to its car-dealer members.

It states the trial “will help us learn whether or not there is genuine appetite from Trade Me Motors buyers for these types of listings”. 

“It comes in response to both buyer and industry changes that show a growing willingness to buy vehicles sight-unseen, as well as requests from dealers to offer this type of transaction,” the email adds.

“We acknowledge this trial takes place outside our current policies, but if the trial shows genuine demand from buyers, we’ll be looking at how all dealers can list offshore vehicles, and what conditions we would put in place to ensure a great experience for buyers and sellers. 

“This will include reviewing how buyers can filter and sort listings for offshore vehicles.”

Trade Me Motors also states it has taken on-board feedback from a previous offshore vehicle trial and has set a number of conditions for listing offshore vehicles.

These include “it’s made very clear to buyers that the vehicle is currently located offshore and the effect that has on delivery time, they offer a money-back guarantee, and they have a signed agreement giving them exclusive rights to list and sell the vehicle on Trade Me”.

The other conditions include abiding by all requirements for being a registered motor-vehicle trader and the Consumer Guarantees Act, and avoiding “overwhelming any individual vehicle category – make, model and year”.

“If you have any questions or want to discuss this trial further, please don’t hesitate to contact your account manager or dealer support at motorsinfo@trademe.co.nz,” the email concludes.

What is Trade Me Motors’ current policy?

In regards to offshore policies for motor-vehicle listings, Trade Me’s website states: “You may only sell a vehicle that is offshore if you are a registered vehicle trader. If you are a registered vehicle trader and you want to sell a vehicle that is offshore, you must hold clear authority to sell the vehicle and you must ensure it is in transit to New Zealand before you are able to list it. You must also clearly indicate that such vehicles are offshore or in transit in the listing.”

What’s the story with Autoport?

Autoport’s story started more than 20 years ago when founding director David Paviour partnered with Hamish Lusk to set up AutoBase, which was a bulk listings site for car dealers.

In 2012, Trade Me bought out AutoBase from Paviour and Lusk, after which they set up Autoport – a business importing and selling cars at wholesale.

Autoport’s website sates: “With online buying gaining in popularity, David and Hamish decided it was time to disrupt the used-car market and offer a unique buying experience, this time for the consumer – much the same way Uber and Airbnb have.”

In 2018, Autoport, which operates from offices at Ellerslie Racecourse, launched its retail website – a marketplace for people to buy vehicles online. “Without the unnecessary overhead costs of car yards, finance costs associated with holding stock and removing a number of steps in the supply chain, Autoport is able to offer significant savings to the consumer,” states its website.

“Today, Autoport has a global presence with offices in Japan, the UK and New Zealand achieving its goal of changing the way people buy cars.” 

As of 1pm on January 24, the website stated it had a “choice of 10,331 cars to buy that are located offshore”. Autoport says all of the cars it lists are located in Japan or the UK.

What Trade Me says about ‘in transit’

In a post dated March 25, 2013, Trade Me explains what “in transit” means for offshore motor vehicles.

It states: “We’ve noticed a lot of interest in vehicles being sourced directly from overseas lately and wanted to clarify our expectations around the sale of such vehicles on Trade Me [a good starting point is our help page].

“It is a general Trade Me rule that members only place listings for items that exist, are to be sold and that the member is legally entitled to sell those items. Further to this, members may only list items in their possession, except where Trade Me has approved otherwise in writing. An example of this is found in our terms and conditions regarding motor vehicles.

“In the case of motor vehicles that are offshore, they must be in transit to New Zealand, and you must be a registered motor-vehicle trader, and hold clear authority to sell such vehicles before being able to list them. You must also clearly indicate that such vehicles are offshore or in transit in the listing.”

By “in transit”, Trade Me says it means the vehicle is covered by one of the following scenarios when its ultimate destination is New Zealand:

• Vehicle is being transported from a dealership, or equivalent, to a private holding facility or wharf or port where it will await shipping. In such situations, the transportation or holding time is to be no longer than three weeks until vehicle is under the control of a wharf or port authority. 

• The vehicle is under the control of a wharf or port authority, awaiting being shipped to New Zealand, or is on a ship bound for New Zealand.

“From time to time, Trade Me may ask members for documentation which clearly demonstrates the vehicle in question is in transit,” the website states. “Listings cannot be made for vehicles still in their country of origin. This is regardless of whether you have been granted the right to sell that vehicle on an owner’s behalf. Listings that feature vehicles not in New Zealand and not in transit will be removed from the site.” 

Trade Me then lists its key points for listing vehicles in transit as they may only be listed by registered traders, documentation may be requested to prove “in transit” and the seller has sales authority, and the listing must indicate location status of vehicle as being in transit with an estimated arrival date in in this country.