A transactional marketplace enables a vehicle transaction end to end. It provides tools and technologies to facilitate the various stages of the deal. Where other sites merely allow a buyer and seller to connect, a transactional marketplace offers the following functionality:

1. Listings: list your vehicle for sale or browse cars for sale. All online vehicle meetingplaces have this, and so does a transactional marketplace.
2. Communicate: a transactional marketplace should have native messaging capabilities to keep personal info private.
3. Negotiate: a transactional marketplace allows buyers and sellers to easily negotiate with tools to accept, reject, or counter offers without leaving the marketplace.
4. Sign paperwork: a transactional marketplace facilitates easy electronic signing of documents such as the bill of sale.
5. Send money: a transactional marketplace integrates seamless transfer of funds as part of the deal flow.

Let’s look at these five characteristics in greater detail.

All online vehicle marketplaces, transactional and non, have cars for sale. Sellers can list their vehicle, and buyers can go shopping for cars. Essentially, the website or app serves as a way for a buyer to meet a seller. Unfortunately, the utility of non-transactional marketplaces ends there.

Buyers and sellers are left to piece together the remainder of the transaction using third-party tools and channels.

Most marketplaces allow would-be buyers to message sellers via an email integration. If the buyer and the seller want to communicate in a chat format, they often exchange phone numbers and initiate a text conversation. In a word, communication is clunky.

Beyond the inconvenience, “meetingplaces” open buyers and sellers up to bad actors. Scammers abound on classifieds and other vehicle websites.

A true transactional marketplace facilitates secure and easy communication.


PrivateAuto features native messaging and scheduling capabilities that keep buyer and seller info private. Identity verification inhibits bad actors, and a handy scheduler makes setting the test drive appointment a cinch.

Non-transactional marketplaces don’t provide an interface whereby a potential buyer and seller can reach a consensus. Beyond an initial intro, they provide no workflow for the negotiation. A transactional marketplace allows the following:


PrivateAuto provides an intuitive framework that leads buyers and sellers to reach an agreement. Our app allows a potential buyer to make an offer on a vehicle. Sellers can accept, reject, or counteroffer. The two parties can communicate back and forth about the offer—or any other aspect of the vehicle or the transaction—within the PrivateAuto app.

Non-transactional marketplaces don’t provide documentation support. Given that paperwork is such a key aspect of a vehicle sale, its omission leaves buyers and sellers adrift.

A transactional marketplace should enable easy electronic signing of key documents such as the bill of sale. On PrivateAuto, both buyer and seller are prompted to e-sign an official bill of sale in their mobile app at the appropriate stage of the transaction.

Non-transactional marketplaces do not have payment integrations. Users are left to their own devices—or expensive and time-consuming third-party services—to figure out how to get funds from the buyer to the seller. Unfortunately, there haven’t been a lot of great ways to conveniently move large sums between strangers.

A transactional marketplace should integrate a payment gateway into its transaction workflow. On PrivateAuto, buyers can send instant, free transfers of up to $1M. Sellers receive their money immediately, even on nights, weekends, or holidays.

Our integrated payment solution, PrivateAuto Pay, allows buyers and sellers to have escrow-like services in the palm of their hand. PrivateAuto Pay enables remote transactions and solves the problem of trust between strangers.

For the first time, you can enjoy convenience and security while selling your used car directly to a private party.


Experience the magic yourself. Create a listing in a few easy steps!

Experience the power of a transactional marketplace and you’ll never go back.


Check it out today when you browse used vehicles for sale!