Can repairing cars with ‘green’ used parts save money and time? Online giant eBay joins forces with insurers to help battle the supply chain crunch
- eBay UK encouraging motorists and car firms to use recycled green parts
- Online marketplace claims Brexit has exacerbated delays in supply chains
- eBay UK tells This is Money motorists could save 70% by buying green parts
Online giant eBay UK has teamed up with two of the country’s best known insurers, Aviva and LV, in a bid to help motorists lumbered with delays for car parts as a result of Brexit and other global pressures.
The trio are encouraging motorists and car industry workers to use ‘green parts’ when repairing or modifying their vehicles to help ease pressure on supply chains.
In simple terms, green parts refer to used car parts that are still fit to use, and they are usually taken from insurance write-offs where components have not been damaged.
Going green? eBay UK is encouraging motorists and car firms to use ‘green parts’
In the first three months of this year, around 65 per cent of car dealers suffered problems and delays trying to source parts for cars, eBay UK said.
The online marketplace told This is Money it believes using green parts can also help save motorists money.
‘The average cost of a new part is £245, while green parts can deliver savings of up to 70% versus original equipment manufacturer recommended retail price’, it said.
Laura Richards, senior automotive business manager at eBay UK, said: ‘Many drivers are unaware of the huge benefits that green parts can have when looking to get their cars repaired.
‘The number one priority when your car breaks down is getting back on the road as quickly as possible and green parts can play a vital role in this, especially when Brexit is slowing the importing process.
‘The environmental benefit of green parts is huge, and at eBay we’re doing all we can to offer these options to our customers and partners.’
Some car components are now reportedly taking weeks rather than days to be delivered, but eBay UK claimed the use of green parts will ensure car parts are delivered in around two to three days.
eBay UK said it had seen the proportion of new car part imports drop by around 2 per cent every year over the last two years. Sales of green parts, it claims, have risen by 24 per cent year-on-year in the first seven months of this year.
‘The use of green parts is increasing within the industry as motorists are becoming more aware of the benefits of using sustainable options’, eBay UK said.
The online marketplace said it was also working with whocanfixmycar to provide access to green parts to over 8,000 garages across the country.
For motorists worried about whether using a green part could cause future problems, eBay UK said it would work with sellers to ensure that ‘every product sold is supplied by an independently certified automotive recycler, giving buyers complete faith that their cars will be repaired with reliable parts.’
A spokesperson for Aviva said: ‘Aviva has been working closely with eBay and the VRAC to support the development of a high quality, safe, environmentally responsible and sustainable supply chain to help meet its commitment to its customers and the environment.
‘We are working closely with all stakeholders and eBay to help co-create the future model that we hope will meet all our objectives and alleviate pressures being felt on the post COVID and post Brexit supply chains that are causing delays in many cases.’
Delays: Some car components are now reportedly taking weeks rather than days to be delivered
Meanwhile, Chris Morgan, director at ASM Autos, said: ‘As one of the companies at the forefront of using green parts we have been witness to the uplift in demand for these products in recent years.
‘We also saw a further uplift in purchases when we left the EU, as manufacturers simply couldn’t get the products to customers.
‘Working with eBay has been a great process, and for us it’s absolutely crucial that our customers know that our parts are certified, so we are pleased to see that this is an area which the platform is focusing on, as reliability is key in the automotive industry.’
James Dunn, group operations director at AW Repair Group, said: ‘Having a household name like eBay leading the scheme reassures our customers when we explain recycled parts. Now 70% of our customers give their authorisation for us to source green parts.’
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