Smartphone car shopping spikes
The automotive category led all mobile shopping on eBay between Nov. 22 and Dec. 5, which is great news for dealers. In that time, it brought in $7.9 million in the United States alone, according to the auction site; an increase of 136 percent over last year. Automobile buying easily led the second biggest category, clothing. EBay Mobile users bought nearly $400,000 worth of vehicles and related items on Thanksgiving Day alone.
The company said vehicle sales made with smartphones during the Thanksgiving holiday were up 17 percent over last year and sales of auto parts spiked 80 percent.
The reason we are seeing so many mobile automotive purchases on eBay this holiday season is because there has been a shift in consumer behavior, said Steve Yankovich, vice president of mobile at eBay. Our mobile app allows consumers to act immediately when a need arises, or as soon as inspiration strikes. When youre with your vehicle, looking for a matching part or an accessory, or searching for a new car altogether, you probably wont be at your computer, but you will have your smartphone with you. For example, if youre driving your car and you realize your muffler needs to be fixed, you can search for a replacement as soon as you park, right from our mobile app.
EBay will roll out a new eBay Motors-specific smartphone app in the first quarter of 2011 that allows buyers to create a gallery of cars that match their specific interests along with parts searches for their existing vehicles. At the same time, sellers can scan VINs to ensure accuracy.
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