eBay makes its foray into tractor segment

Mumbai, Sep 28: After making its entry into cars and commercial vehicle segments fours years ago, eBay India Motors Marketplace today announced its foray into the fast growing tractor segment.

Briefing the media on the occasion of sale of the 1,00,000th vehicle on the company's platform, eBay India Country Manager New Ventures&Payments Rajan Mehra said, ''In keeping with the larger eBay purpose of empowering entrepreneurs around the world, we want to extend our platform to the tractors segment.'' A study says that out of the 3,00,000 tractors that are sold every year in the country, nearly 1,50,000 are sold in the used vehicle market alone and eBay's new venture will try to tap this ever increasing segment.

Rana Rekhi of Rana Motors, who sold a 1996 model Maruti 800 to Anil Sethiof Sethi Motors recently to achieve the landmark for the sale of 1,00,000th vehicle on the eBay's platform, were also present on the occasion.

Mr Mehra said, ''Forty per cent of our buyers are from metro cities falling under 'B' and 'C' categories and all the remaining part comprise the persons hailing from 193 various locations of the country majority of them are sans internet access. Besides, we are imparting phone-based training and even regional language online animated tutorials in languages like Hindi, English, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali and hence the growing number of buyers on the eBay's portal.'' On his marketing strategy for the new venture, Mr Mehra said they have a network of 6,000 pre-approved dealers in the country and they are in touch with transporters' associations and mandis for the purpose.

Unlike the same services being provided by other companies like Maruti's True Value targeting at end consumers, eBay's target customers comprise intermediaries like dealers, transporters and others that have got the minimum capacity of selling or buying 10 vehicles a year, he said.

On the market size of the used vehicles in the country, he said, it was US 7.5 billion dollars and the unique motors B2B marketplace has addressed Rs 9,000 crore. In fact, this is the sector on which they have pinned their hopes on.

UNI