Q&A With Chris Prill, VP of eBay Motors About the New Guaranteed Fit Program for Car and Truck Parts

In February, eBay Motors launched its Guaranteed Fit program for cars, light trucks, and motorcycle aftermarket parts sold in the eBay Motors marketplace.

This new program places a green “Fits” compatibility checkmark on parts that will fit a shopper’s car they select in the parts finder tool.

The eBay Guaranteed Fit program is one of the most significant enhancements to eBay Motors in years as it provides assurance to buyers that the parts they are shopping for fits their car.

If a buyer receives a part that is not correct for their car, eBay will pay for the return shipping to the seller.

But we noticed this program raised a few questions among sellers in the eBay community forums and on social media forums In addition, I myself worked for a company selling aftermarket car and truck parts on eBay for many years.

Between my own experiences and the questions I saw raised online, I was pleased to have the opportunity to ask Chris Prill, VP of eBay Motors about the new Guaranteed Fit program and how it works on the seller side.

Q: Some vehicles come from the OEM with options that may not be covered by the fitment data and require the seller to provide this information in the notes section. Since eBay Motors will pay for return shipping on parts that do not fit, does this also apply if the seller failed to provide relevant information in the notes section?

A: eBay Guaranteed Fit uses fitment information in sellers’ listings to verify compatibility with the buyer’s vehicle. In order for listings to be eligible for the program, sellers must input the year, make, model, trim and engine details into the compatibility table – additional fitment notes are not required.

If the seller provides those details in the listing and the part meets eligibility requirements, then the item is protected by eBay Guaranteed Fit and eBay Motors will cover the cost of the return.

Q: In North America, there can be differences in engine sizes and trim levels on some vehicles sold in the U.S. versus Canada or Mexico. And some Canadian or Mexican buyers use U.S. addresses for shipments. Does this new program only apply to U.S. buyers, buying parts for vehicles that were originally only sold in the United States?

A: Transactions made on eBay’s U.S. site are eligible for eBay Guaranteed Fit. In order to surface eligible inventory, shoppers must input compatibility details for vehicles sold in the U.S. market.

However, buyers with an imported show or performance vehicle can still shop millions of P&A listings within the category. Buyers can simply refer to the seller’s return policy and eBay’s Money Back Guarantee to understand their purchase protections.  

Q: Will P&A returns count negatively in any way in a seller’s performance metric?

A: If a buyer does send back an item using the “Doesn’t fit my vehicle” reason, sellers should follow the usual return resolution process to avoid negative impacts on their performance metrics.

Q: Unfortunately, many parts buyers don’t always know the details about the exact vehicle they own. This is more common among DIY home mechanics that may have bought a used car, not realizing which OEM options or trim levels define their car. If such a buyer enters data for a vehicle in the eBay Parts finder that was never produced due to master vehicle list data (MVL) providing erroneous options, will eBay still pay for the return?

A: Fitment issues and returns resulting from incorrect or incomplete MVL catalog data represent a small fraction of overall returns on the marketplace.

In instances where fitment data is incorrect, eBay Motors has a protocol in place to trace and update or remove the incorrect data from all listings that may be impacted.

In the rare case a shopper purchases a part or accessory that was incorrectly labeled with the green ‘Fits’ checkmark, it will still be protected by eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors will cover the cost of return shipping and sellers can process the return as usual. 

Q: There can be unique situations where a wrong part may fit a vehicle but negatively affects the driving experience. If a buyer realizes that after an installation they installed the wrong part, how does eBay manage such a situation through its Guaranteed Fit program?

This new offering is an enhanced protection to help address issues related to fitment. If a buyer returns a part using the “Doesn’t fit my vehicle” reason, eBay Motors covers shipping costs back to the seller who can then process the return.

In instances where a shopper purchases the incorrect repair or upgrade part and the issue is unrelated to fitment, the return will follow the seller’s return policy or eBay’s Money Back Guarantee. 

Q: Some vehicle owners, especially those who purchased a vehicle used, may unknowingly own a vehicle with added aftermarket performance parts that require non-OEM replacement parts. How does eBay manage this situation in its Guaranteed Fit program?

A: As long as the purchase is for an eligible part or accessory with the green ‘Fits’ checkmark – regardless of whether it’s an aftermarket or OEM part – both the buyer and seller are protected by eBay Guaranteed Fit. 

Q: When a part is returned to a seller in New in Box (NIB) condition, it’s a pretty simple return, like any other item purchased on eBay. However, often, parts buyers don’t realize they have the wrong item until they start the installation.

Typically, in the parts industry, once a part has installation marks (even from a failed installation attempt), it can no longer be sold as a new part, diminishing the value of the part.

This also makes it impossible for the seller to return the part to the part’s manufacturer to receive inventory credit. What recourse do sellers have if an item is returned showing the buyer attempted the installation of the incorrect part?

A: Lost value on returned parts and accessories is an understandable source of concern for sellers. eBay Guaranteed Fit does not impact the seller’s ability to offer a partial refund in cases where a part has been marked or damaged, as part of eBay’s broader return policy. 

Q: Is there anything else you like to add about this new program?

eBay Guaranteed Fit was introduced with both buyers and sellers in mind. While the program provides shoppers with an added layer of confidence when buying parts and accessories online, it also helps sellers know additional fitment checks are in place that ultimately reduce returns and negative customer feedback.

By making parts and accessories more discoverable to shoppers, and offering robust purchase protections, both buyers and sellers can enjoy a more seamless experience transacting with eBay Motors.

Thank You Chris Prill, VP of eBay Motors

I like to thank Chris for his time answering my questions. I think eBay’s Guaranteed Fit program offers a significant confidence booster for buyers. While there can be a situation where a buyer provides incorrect vehicle information, those instances are rare.

Most professional parts sellers should know their “problem fitments.” The best practice is to request additional information from the buyer before shipping, avoiding the hassle of exchanging parts.

Sellers should make use of the notes section in the fitment data to include any special circumstances where a part may not fit. I also would suggest that sellers highlight this information in the description.

Overall, this program enhances the eBay Motors P&A category significantly and should lead to better buying experiences, which in turn means customers will return to eBay to shop for more parts.

And that is good for all vehicle parts sellers on eBay Motors.

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