- New online auction house with curated listings of vintage cars, trucks
- Touchless, pandemic, and post-pandemic car buying
- Can’t be outbid by bots
- Community invited to engage and comment
- Beautiful format, simple to navigate
February 5, 2021, Toronto, Ontario — Lovers of classic and just plain cool cars and trucks have long struggled to find, locate, sell or buy those vehicles online in a simple format they can trust.
Not anymore.
With every car show and car auction across the world canceled because of Covid, a handful of genuine car enthusiasts came together and built shiftgate.com, an online auction house that makes searching, listing, and buying a classic vehicle anywhere in North America a pleasurable experience — one that invites a like-minded community of car lovers to comment and engage.
“Like so many others, the car community has been shut out in the pandemic. Buying any kind if car in a pandemic is difficult; buying a classic, which is often a life-long dream, is even harder,” said Shel Smith, Shiftgate’s Head Shifter. “Shiftgate gives these men and women a touchless platform to reconnect, to come together, to kick tires on some great vehicles — and buy or sell one if they want.”
How it works
Sellers submit vehicles through shiftgate.com and Shiftgate selects the most interesting. Only those that are unique and interesting qualify. Shiftgate then works with sellers to curate a comprehensive auction listing that runs for seven days. It costs the seller $99 to list.
“Selling or buying online can be a huge hassle with all kinds of pitfalls,” said Smith. “Shiftgate takes all the work and worry out of it. Sellers submit a form and pictures, and we do the rest. It’s totally transparent and fair to everyone.”
CAN’T BE OUTBID BY BOTS
Every vehicle up for auction is professionally presented, objectively written with plenty of pictures, and put through a transparent bidding process. Sellers work with an auction specialist, and bidders gain confidence and knowledge through an open comments section. Bidders can be sure they are not outbid by bots with an auction clock that extends bidding by two minutes after last-second bids.
Every auction includes a vehicle write-up, photo gallery, summary page with key details, CARFAX report, and a clear indication of the current bid and time left on the clock. A robust comments thread on every listing allows the Shiftgate community to discuss the vehicle and ask questions.
To bid or comment on a vehicle, users sign up on the site. All bids are verified by a credit card hold to ensure the buyer is firmly committed. The highest bidder wins the vehicle and pays a 5 per cent buyer’s premium.
“We love cars,” said Smith. “We love everything about them. Owning and buying and selling is all part of the fascination, and now we can do all that in the company of friends in a really simple way.”
For more information, visit shiftgate.com
