eBay Continues to Refocus on Vehicle Parts With First-Ever New York Auto Parts Show

eBay’s refocus on the auto and vehicle parts and accessories (P&A) category is continuing. Yesterday, eBay Motors held its first-ever New York Auto Parts Show, designed to demonstrate how car enthusiasts can build, fix, or maintain their dream car.

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The company timed its event to coincide with the New York International Auto Show, which is being held from April 15 to 24 in 2022 after suffering a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic.

At the New York Auto Show, the floor is filled with brand new models and Concept Cars, but many of these vehicles are difficult to access for most visitors, let alone drive every day, eBay said.

That is why the company chose to showcase the clever ways enthusiasts are using parts and accessories to make and maintain their dream cars.

And in the face of unprecedented supply chain challenges, eBay Motors’ line of “Re-Concept Cars,” assembled in partnership with some of the industry’s top builders and biggest stars, demonstrated what is possible today.

The Re-Concept Cars exhibition celebrated innovative ideas and designs from top auto builders and DIY customizers, including actress Sydney Sweeney.

“Since buying my Ford Bronco last February, I’ve done everything from rebuilding the transmission, to wire brushing out rust,” said Sydney Sweeney. “It’s really important to me to preserve the integrity of the original Ford build, so when I need a rare part – like a unique transmission adaptor that is next-to-impossible to come by – eBay Motors is always my first stop.”

In recent years, both the average car age and average mileage have significantly increased, as new cars are harder to come by and consumers opt to stretch the life of their current vehicles.

And since last summer, “project car” sales on eBay Motors have grown 158% according to the company.

“Supply chain challenges are impacting everyone – professional mechanics, DIY enthusiasts, daily commuters – and that’s leading to some really innovative solutions,” said Ron Jaiven, GM of Parts & Accessories, eBay Motors. “eBay Motors has long been the place for enthusiasts to discover hard-to-find parts and accessories needed to build, fix, or maintain virtually any car. The New York Auto Parts Show is highlighting just how much is possible when it comes to giving an existing car a new life.”

eBay’s New York Auto Parts Show

Held at the iconic Classic Car Club of Manhattan, the show was part education and part inspiration.

Attendees were able to explore in detail each of the “Re-Concept Cars,” speak with the builders themselves, and learn more about how the right part can be a game-changer when it comes to starting – or finishing – a project.

Providing a chance for everyone to see how they can stretch their car or build a dream car, eBay Motors created four videos to support the event at the Classic Car Club of Manhattan.

The Builders

• The New Throwback | Sydney Sweeney (1969 Ford Bronco) – Sweeney surprised everyone after a TikTok video of her working on her beloved vintage Bronco went viral earlier this year. She has partnered with eBay Motors to complete her rebuild and display it at the New York Auto Parts Show.
  
• The Family Muscle Car | Freddy “Tavarish” Hernandez (Chrysler Pacifica) – Hernandez is working with eBay Motors to drop a Hellcat engine into a Chrysler Pacifica (minivan) – an insane upgrade that will get the DIY auto community talking.
  
• The Mod-Monster | Grind Hard Plumbing Co. (90’s Ford Ranger) – Grind Hard Plumbing Co took a classic 90’s Ford Ranger and turned it into a truly unique 6 wheel vehicle bringing the creativity and “wow factor” of a ‘Re-Concept Car’ to life with a new engine, wheels and accessories.
  
• The rEVamp | Emelia Hartford (00’s Prius) – A builder who is also a burgeoning actress, Emelia drove this Prius daily for years. When she started using her Prius to transport car parts, she was inspired to up the horsepower and reincarnate it with a new turbocharged Honda engine and 6-speed manual.

eBay Motors by the Numbers

And of course, since this is part of eBay’s effort to refocus on P&A, the company also provided some stats about how well vehicle parts are selling on the platform.

• Motors Parts & Accessories generate over $10B in annual GMV
• One out of every three eBay shoppers buys parts and accessories.
• In Q4 2021, the following P&A categories saw particularly notable GMV increases: 
  • Cruise control components +48%
  • Transmission rebuild kits +26%
  • Brake component kits +19%
  • Oil filters +17%
  • Wheels and tires +6%

eBay has also been supporting its refocus on P&A with advertising during NASCAR races. Currently, the company is featuring three ads on TV and online platforms.

• eBay Motors TV Spot, ‘The Right Parts’ Featuring J Shia
• eBay Motors TV Spot, ‘Fix-Up Fanatic’
• eBay Motors TV Spot, ‘Love Wheels’

For eBay sellers wanting to learn how to get the most out of their eBay Motors P&A listings, check out these four suggestions on how to raise sales in this re-emerging category for the marketplace.