As GM eBay Program Extends, Edmunds.com Advises Car Shoppers on "Buy it Now" and "Make an Offer" Prices

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--In its evaluation of the General Motors eBay pilot program, Edmunds.com thinks that in most cases, shoppers should avoid the “Buy it Now” pricing option and instead choose the option to “Make an Offer.”

Edmunds.com analysts looked at the "Buy it Now" price on GM eBay and found the average to be 2 percent higher than True Market Value® pricing. On a $25,000 car that is about $500.

Each shopper who pursues “Make an Offer” should make a realistic offer that is likely to be accepted quickly. The Edmunds.com True Market Value® pricing tool allows for free and straightforward research for car-shoppers. Tomorrow Edmunds.com will begin publishing specific vehicle pricing recommendations to consumers.

“So far, the program has inadvertently encouraged lowball offers and resulted in frustration on the part of consumers and dealers,” commented Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl. “In our continuing efforts to empower the automotive consumer, we are listing realistic discounts that shoppers can expect to get so that the purchase process is smoother, simpler and faster for them.”