20th March 2007
eBay Motors today announces that a staggering one million cars have been sold via its website in the UK. Frank McKenna of Folkestone, Kent, secured a place in history when his purchase of a 1998 Saab from Nigel Walford hit the millionth milestone.
The amount of cars sold on eBay Motors is now equivalent to one in every 33 cars on UK roads1, and if every single car sold on eBay Motors in the UK was placed bumper to bumper, they would stretch the length of a whopping fifty football pitches.
The landmark sale comes just five years after eBay Motors launched in the UK and a mere 18 months since the half a millionth car sale. With an average of 3.5 million unique users every month2 and more than 40,000 cars, motorcycles and other vehicles listed at any one time, eBay Motors is the UK’s busiest car showroom.
Millionth buyer Frank McKenna loves Saabs and often keeps an eye on the site for any interesting models. With a holiday to France planned, he stepped up his search and found the car of his dreams. Frank said: “The 1998 Saab 9-5 SE will take me across the channel a few times a year. Now I know it is such an important car, I will make more effort to give it pride of place in the garage when I get home.”
Jody Ford, Senior Manager at eBay Motors, says he is thrilled at the success of the site. “This is a huge achievement for eBay Motors and demonstrates a big shift in car buying behaviour across the UK. Ten years ago people were hesitant even to buy books online, and now motorists are turning to the internet as their first port of call for vehicles, parts and accessories. Everyone is benefiting, from private sellers and buyers, to dealers who are seeing their sales soar as they list on eBay Motors. With a vehicle selling on eBay Motors every minute we are looking forward to the sale of our 2 millionth car in the very near future!”
Notes to Editors:
1 DVLA figures March 2006 show there are almost 33 million cars on the road
2 Nielsen / Netratings 2006
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