Kia Establishes New Shopping Channel Through eBay Motors

Kia franchise dealers now can reach shoppers on eBay more easily thanks to a new deal announced Monday between the automaker and eBay Motors.

Kia is the first major OEM to post a unique shopping site on eBay, according to executives. More than 345 Kia dealers have signed up to list their entire new-vehicle inventory online. 

From the comfort of their own home, buyers can now search and shop new Kia vehicle inventories across all participating dealers and make offers online through eBay’s “Best Offer” option, officials revealed.

The program covers the nameplate’s entire 2011 lineup, including the Sorento, Sportage, Optima, Soul, Forte, Sedona and Rio.

As one of the reasons behind the new deal, brand officials cited research by J.D. Power and Associates that shows the amount of vehicle shoppers who use the Web is up 17 percent this year to date. Furthermore, they pointed out 79 percent of all vehicle shoppers go to third-party websites, such as eBay Motors, before making a purchase.

“eBay Motors’ large, multi-dimensional marketplace aligns perfectly with Kia’s rapidly expanding brand and offers consumers a comprehensive and convenient shopping experience for our entire new vehicle lineup,” stated Tom Loveless, vice president of sales at Kia Motors America.

“The program already has proven to be popular with our dealers with nearly 50 percent of Kia dealerships signing on for the program in just two weeks’ time, and more and more signing on every day,” Loveless continued. “Attracting vast online audiences to Kia through a pleasant online purchasing experience furthers Kia Motors’ sales and marketing strategies."

“The Kia Motors partnership is a natural evolution of our new vehicle strategy, showcasing the versatility of eBay Motors as a marketplace for all things automotive, including new and used vehicles, parts, accessories and services,” explained Nicolas Franchet, senior director of U.S. vehicles for eBay Motors.

“Kia is one of the most innovative OEM brands in the market, and we’re happy to work with them to extend dealers’ new vehicle inventory to a national, online marketplace welcoming more than 14 million visitors each month,” Franchet concluded.