Did you know that more and more used-vehicle buyers are turning to the Internet in their automotive shopping process than ever before? According to a 2001 study by J.D. Power and Associates, 43% of all used-vehicle buyers use the Internet as part of the vehicle shopping process. This is a 27% increase over 2000, and the number continues to rise.

"Two years ago the number of people who located their vehicle through a published classified advertisement outnumbered Internet classifieds by more than 7-to-1," said Chris Denove, partner and senior director of automotive retail research at J.D. Power and Associates. "The gap narrowed to only 2-to-1 this year, and it is likely that Internet classifieds will surpass the traditional published classifieds within the next few years."

Thanks to the Internet, selling a vehicle has never been easier. One low-cost listing on an auto web site will reach interested buyers from your own neighborhood, as well as from all over the country. Here are some things to look for when placing your vehicle in an online classified ad:

• Ability to attach a photo with your listing.
  A photo can more than double the number of leads you receive from your online listing.
• Number of characters allotted to your listing.
  Most allow anywhere from 50 to 150 characters.
• How you will be contacted when someone makes an offer. With some sites, you interact with the interested buyers directly through the web site. With others, you provide a link to your e-mail address and interested buyers contact you directly.
• Length of time the ad will run.
  Some sites will run your classified ad for a limited time (a week or month), while others offer unlimited running times whereby you would keep the ad up until your vehicle sells, at which time you would need to remove the listing yourself.
• Search capabilities.
  The more search options a web site provides (such as the ability to search for vehicles by make, model, type, price, etc), the easier it will be for a potential buyer to find your vehicle.
• Optional graphics, bold letters or highlights.
  Whenever possible, try to make your listing stand out from the rest. Adding graphics, bold letters, or color highlights will get your ad noticed.
• Credibility of the site.
  Stick to the most popular, most reputable sites on the Internet. The better a site's overall reputation for quality, the better your chances for having your ad viewed.

Selling your car on the Internet is a win-win situation... both for you, and for the buyer. Information found on the Web is dynamic and up-to-date, assuring potential buyers that they're getting a good deal from an ever-changing pool of vehicles for sale, and giving you, the seller, an edge by being able to reach hundreds (even millions!) of buyers from all across the country at one time. You can't get exposure like that from your local newspaper.

By following the above tips, you can turn your vehicle into cash today!