In a Nutshell
pros
- Very easy to use
- Fast online offers
- Pre-purchase inspections
cons
- Limited service area
- Not all cars are accepted
Shift at a Glance
States Served
Car Condition
Sell or Trade-In
Pickup Service
Payment
Shift at a Glance
Online offer
✓
Car pickup service
✓
Same-day payment
X
Personal information required
✓
Trade-in option
✓
Deal exclusions
Shift doesn’t specifically exclude any car, regardless of their age or mileage. Instead, it makes it clear that it will offer a fair amount for your car, and that your initial offer may change on inspection.
However, a closer look at the terms and conditions reveals several factors that might result in Shift not making an offer. These include, for example, cars that are too old or new (exact years aren’t specified), cars that owners have smoked in, or cars outside the current service area.
Shift Pricing (Selling Fees, Price Negotiation)
Shift doesn’t have any selling fees. When you request a quote, the company makes a transparent, all-inclusive offer. This takes into account any costs the company has, along with its profit margin.
On the downside, Shift makes it clear that it doesn’t negotiate on prices. But one thing I like is that its offers are valid for seven days, which means that you don’t have to jump into a decision immediately.
How To Sell a Car with Shift
Selling a car with Shift involves a straightforward five-step process:
Step 1: Enter information about your car
First up, you’ll need to provide information about the car that you want to sell so Shift can provide you with an accurate quote. The form will ask you to enter your car identification number (VIN), plate number, or car make and model. You’ll also need to state the car’s condition and mileage.
Step 2: Schedule handover
If you’re happy with Shift’s quote and want to proceed with the sale, you’ll need to schedule a time to hand over your car. You can either deliver it to Shift or arrange for pickup directly from your property.
Step 3: Provide the necessary info
Once you’ve booked the handover, a Shift team member will give you a call to gather the rest of the required information. This can include bank details so you can get paid, car paperwork, and your personal information.
Step 4: Sign the contract
When the time comes to hand your car off to a Shift team member, you’ll need to fill out a little paperwork. This includes signing the sale contract, which means that you’re committing to selling your car for the agreed price.
Step 5: Car inspection
The Shift team will put your car through a complete inspection to ensure it’s in the condition you say it is. If it passes, you’ll get paid and your funds will go straight to your bank account. If it fails, Shift may give you another offer that you can accept or reject as you want.
The Shift customer service team is there to help you every step of the way. You can reach them by phone or email, or you can pop into your local office for an in-person chat.
Is Shift Legit?
Shift is a legitimate, reliable company that has decent reviews across the web. On Trustpilot, for example, it has a rating of 4/5 stars. Most of the poor reviews center around Shift not purchasing a car for a specific reason, which is understandable.
Shift’s rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website is a little lower at 3.27/5, but this is still decent. Once again, the negative reviews tend to come from disgruntled customers without valid complaints.
If you decide to use Shift, just follow its terms of service and provide the required information, and you shouldn’t have any issues.
What’s Unique About Shift?
Shift stands out as a leading car-selling option because of its streamlined, transparent quoting and purchasing process. Its quotes are all-inclusive, and there are no hidden fees or surprise costs.
What’s more, Shift uses real-time market data to fuel its quote algorithm. This ensures that the company can offer the most accurate and best possible prices at all times.
It also doesn’t automatically reject any cars. You can request a quote with a car of any age or condition, and the system will decide whether Shift wants to buy it or not based on current market data.
Help and Support
Shift offers email and phone support. Support hours aren’t specified, but the team appears to follow business hours and should respond rapidly. There are also three physical stores: two in California (in Oakland and Pomona) and one in Portland, Oregon. These have specific opening hours and contact details that you’ll find on the company website.
On top of this, Shift has a help center with a selection of FAQs and articles containing everything you need to know about the car-selling process. For example, there’s a complete outline of how the selling process works that I found very useful. There’s also a blog with a small range of educational and informational articles.
What About the Shift App?
Shift offers an iOS app that enables you to buy and sell cars from the comfort of your phone. However, there’s no Android version.
With the app, you can browse cars for sale, schedule a test drive, or get a quote on a car that you want to sell. I found it easy to use and set up, and it makes the car-selling process smoother and more efficient.
Bottom Line
Shift offers transparent, hassle-free car-buying services that enable you to sell your car for a fair price. It uses a powerful algorithm to generate quotes based on real-time market data, ensuring you’re getting the best price possible for every car you sell.
What’s more, Shift takes care of all the paperwork, and the team can even pick up your car from your property. Payment is fast, and you should have your money within a week or so.
All things considered, I’d recommend giving Shift a try if you have an old car you want to sell. You don’t have to accept a quote, and you might be quite surprised by how much your car is worth.
FAQs
Is Shift a reliable company?
Yes, Shift is a reliable car-selling company. It purchases almost any used car in roadworthy condition, and it pays fair prices directly into your bank account. Shift even handles all the admin work so you don’t have to.
Does Shift negotiate on prices?
No, Shift doesn’t negotiate on prices. It makes an offer based on various factors, including your car’s condition, age, make, model, and popularity. You’re free to reject this if you’re not happy but don’t expect to be able to haggle.
How long does Shift take to pay?
Once your sale is finalized, Shift will initiate payment within 24 hours. Depending on your bank, it can take three to seven business days before your funds are available. Shift doesn’t offer cash payments, so there’s no way to access funds immediately.
