Seller's guide
If your car has been sitting on Marketplace for weeks and all you're getting is lowball offers or messages that say "still available?" and then go silent, the problem is almost never the car — it's the price, the photos, or not being able to tell a serious buyer from someone just scrolling.
Listing $2,000 or $3,000 above market "to have room to negotiate" is the single biggest reason a used car sits for weeks. A buyer who's been shopping that make and model for a couple weeks already knows roughly what it's worth at that mileage and year — if your price looks inflated, they don't even message you. They're not negotiating with you; they're scrolling to the next listing.
Before you list, pull up 5-6 comparable listings — same year, model, similar mileage — that are already sold or have been active a while, plus a quick check on KBB or similar. That range is your real market price. If your car has something that puts it below average — worn tires, a check engine light, a repaired fender — price it down yourself before a buyer uses it to knock $500 off in person.
A serious used-car buyer almost never messages just one seller — they'll message 4 or 5 similar listings the same day and book a showing with whoever replies first with real info. The seller who answers in minutes with the exact mileage, whether financing is an option, or whether the car is still available usually locks in the appointment before the buyer even finishes reading the other replies.
It's not that you don't want to reply fast — you're at work, driving, or you just can't stay glued to your phone waiting for the next Marketplace message all day.
There's a real difference between the buyer who sends that message and disappears the moment you reply, and the one who asks if you'll take their car as a trade-in, whether the price includes the title transfer, or if they can book a test drive this week. The second type is the one worth your time — and usually the one who sends the fewest messages before actually showing up.
A pattern that shows up over and over in used-car sales: buyers who ask about financing, request a test drive, or mention they're paying cash close far more often than the ones who just ask if it's available and stop there. Spot that signal early and you know who to call first, instead of chasing someone who was never going to buy.
This is exactly what Marcgent does for dealerships and independent sellers of used cars: an assistant that replies instantly with the real mileage, price, and availability from your inventory, figures out which buyer is actually serious based on how they ask, and tells you who to call first — so you only step in to close the sale, not to filter "still available?" messages all day.