South Africa's First Dedicated Online Car Auction Site Launches

    CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA, October 23, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Customers interested in buying cars online, or those searching for second-hand cars for sale can get ready for one of the most exciting, innovative and explosive car auction experiences that South Africa has ever seen. Online Car Bid has recently launched its website as a platform for online car auctions, a bold new idea that has worked well internationally, but never taken off in South Africa - until now that is.

Both consumers and dealers will be able to buy and sell vehicles through an online auction process, and the company's local creators believe that this will revolutionise the South African car sales industry. With Online Car Bid securing partnership deals with many of South Africa's biggest and best dealerships, the consumer will now be able to bid on a massive range of used cars for sale - this stretches across all price ranges. Online Car Bid offers exceptional value and choice.

Chregan O'Flynn, Director of Online Car Bid is quoted as saying that, "We recognised the potential of combining the concept of a traditional auction with the benefits of online functionality, selecting South Africa's automotive space as the ideal platform to merge the two". It is a vision such as this that drives Online Car Bid. Internet usage has all but ballooned from a hundred thousand users in the mid 2000's to almost every South African now having access to the internet. As access to the internet grows, other auction sites such as eBay have capitalised on this lucrative market.

As a world first, Online Car Bid is the only site to offer a full auction house service that is supported by a dedicated and qualified team of Auction Ambassadors, individuals trained to ensure that all transactions are safe, secure and the highly professional. Simon Nainkin, the general manager of Online Car Bid, defines the Ambassadors as "Middle men who can provide all buyers and sellers with a sales representative with whom they can liaise, they will also assist with arranging safe meetings and test drives to ensure the security of both parties". Second hand cars can now be bought online, at home or in the office. Twitter, as well as Facebook pages will soon be launched, adding even further options for clients to interact.

As far as online security features of this car auction site are concerned, a highly encrypted and secure gateway ensures that all financial transactions are kept out of the hands of nefarious individuals. Other safety features include: Credit card details that are never stored, an elimination of false bid via the transparent system Online Car Bid employs; finally, a refundable registration process ensures that all bidders are prequalified. Between the buyer and the motor finance institution, Online Car Bid will act as the ultimate liaison. Online Car Bid will also organise vehicle delivery at an affordable rate.

Comparisons between a real car auction and an online one are moot, as Nainkin informs us. "For buyers, the fact that bids can be placed online 24/7 in real-time makes our auctions more accessible and reduces the pressure and effort of attending an actual auction. It also provides buyers with a far wider selection of vehicles. What's more, if there are no vehicles on auction that meet your requirements, we will source the vehicle for you. Finally, buyers are not tied into a deal, as they are allowed to walk away from the sale within seven days if the vehicle has been misrepresented by the seller." He also states that most auction sites do not go into the level of detail that Online Car Bid does - they delve into the interior, exterior and mechanical condition of the vehicle. This is indeed an excellent level of transparency for any potential customer.

As a showcase for their stock and for reaching out to a far greater audience, Online Car bid will be of great benefit to dealerships, as O'Flynn states. "A significant benefit of online auctions is that they allow customers from a wider geographical spread to participate in auctions, which results in sale prices being more reflective of the true value of the items. We believe that live 24/7 online car auctions will become the preferred method of used car transactions in the foreseeable future, with South Africa leading the way in this auction format."

Customers can now buy cars online with Online Car Bid and experience a new level of ease and security. The future of car auctions is now.

For more information, please visit http://www.onlinecarbid.co.za

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