What is the relationship between ebay & VRA Certification?
There is no formal link between ebay and VRA or VRA Certification.
The VRA Standard was written and developed by VRA in 2019. It is owned and maintained by VRA.
VRA Certification was set up by VRA in 2020 to manage, at arms length, the certification scheme, working with independent national certification bodies.
Recyclers do not need to sell on ebay in order to be certified.
However, as ebay is (by far) the UKs’ single largest marketplace for used vehicle parts (a position which has been the result of high standards of seller performance and buyer care) ebay was fully supportive at the very earliest stage of the development of higher recycler standards. The ‘quality’ goals of VRA Certification & ebay are very much aligned.
Recognising the higher standards of Certified recyclers, ebay is working closely with VRA, VRAC and individual certified recyclers (and their customers) to build trust in these brands, and to deliver more sales to more buyers and sellers.
The VRA Standard and the certification scheme was developed to try to help overcome some of the common concerns and misconceptions about vehicle recyclers and the ‘reclaimed/ green’ parts they sell. These concerns have long been thought to be discouraging greater acceptance and use of these parts.
EBAY RE-LAUNCHES ‘CERTIFIED RECYCLED PORTAL’ REVEALING BRITISH
MOTORISTS SAVED £99 MILLION BY SWITCHING TO USED PARTS
London, 3 May 2023 –
● Motorists opting for non-new parts and accessories could save up to 70% compared to
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts RRP*
● Picking used parts helps reduce carbon emissions, with eBay shoppers saving 16,000
tonnes CO2e last year – and 3,000,000kg of waste was saved from landfill
● Sales of Certified Recycled parts increased more than 10% between 2021 and 2022 and
eBay now clearly highlights all such listings online
● eBay’s Certified Recycled programme delivers peace of mind, with all parts vetted,
warrantied and only supplied from end-of-life vehicles from approved sellers
● eBay is the UK’s biggest online automotive marketplace with five official brand stores
and thousands of sellers.
Motorists in the UK saved £99 million in 2022 by opting for used parts
and accessories instead of brand-new replacements, according to new research by eBay. The
online marketplace revealed the impact of second-hand parts as it relaunched its Certified
Recycled programme, which sells recycled vehicle parts from 81 certified sellers.
Certified Recycled parts can be up to 70% cheaper compared to OEM parts RRP*, and deliver
peace of mind for shoppers. All parts are vetted and warrantied – body parts feature a 12-month
warranty while mechanical parts come with three months of protection – and are only supplied
from end-of-life vehicles from approved sellers.
Additionally, they also come with a reduced environmental footprint. Last year, eBay UK
shoppers buying used car parts and accessories saved more than 16,000 tonnes of CO2e and
prevented 3,000,000kg of waste from ending up in landfills, simply by choosing not to buy a
box-fresh part.
This saving resulted from the millions of used parts sold across the eBay site last year, including
almost one million exterior parts and accessories (including items such as mirrors, bumpers and
door handles), over 400,000 lighting parts, and over 130,000 engine-related parts.
Certified Recycled parts provide motorists with added peace of mind. They are sold by
businesses that have been checked and certified by the Vehicle Recyclers Association (VRA)
and are subject to an annual audit of their processes and policies. This means that any part
listed has been sourced from and can be traced to an end-of-life vehicle, and has been
accurately identified, recorded, tested and graded.
Dr Tony Tong, Head of Automotive at eBay UK, said: “Certified Recycled parts can be a huge
benefit to customers and businesses alike. With parts delays, rising costs and more focus than
ever on making the right choices to reduce our carbon footprint, these parts have the potential
to help save money, time and the environment.
“We’re making it as easy as possible for people to find these parts, and to understand the
potential benefits they bring, in the hope that motorists will increasingly choose Certified
Recycled parts as alternatives to buying brand new items.”
The first Certified Recycled part was listed on eBay in June 2020, and the marketplace now
hosts 81 certified sellers across the UK. Sales of the parts continue to grow, with an increase of
more than 10% between 2021 and 2022.
Jonny Smith, motoring journalist and frontman of The Late Brake Show, said: “I have owned
dozens of cars, and always have a fleet of classic and modified project cars on the go. From
regular maintenance items to obscure and ultra-rare parts and accessories, eBay has long been
my first port of call.
“There are huge benefits to Certified Recycled parts over new components – especially lower
quality pattern parts – and this has become especially relevant in current economic times,
where your budget needs to go further, or when availability on new parts has been patchy.”
According to eBay research, 16.1% of motorists often buy recycled parts to save money, while
14% choose used items to reduce their carbon emissions. While some car owners are happy to
buy parts themselves, one-in-10 stated they would prefer to buy recycled parts from a
professional service centre, highlighting the important role that garages and workshops can play
in changing buyer behaviour.
To showcase the potential benefits of switching to Certified Recycled parts fitment for everyone
from individual motorists to fleet customers and bodyshops, eBay has produced a White Paper
that takes an in-depth look at the industry.