eBay launches UK tyre Installation service

The tyre fitting partnership between eBay and Blackcircles.com trialled in 2016 is back. Promoted as a “fitting option for seamless tyre buying experience,” the new arrangement allows for the fitment of more than 10,000 unique tyre products purchased via the ebay.co.uk site at one of more than Blackcircles 1,200 partner locations throughout the country.

The eBay tyre fitting service now available in the UK in association with the Michelin-owned online retailer differs from those rolled out in Germany and the USA this year in that instead of being available for purchases made from a number of sources, it only covers tyres purchased on eBay from Blackcircles.com. The price of fitment starts at £1 and covers the cost of tyre fitting and balancing, as well as valve replacement (standard rubber valves only) and disposal of the customer’s old tyres. Additional services, such as TPMS service or services specific to a tyre model, including run-flat tyres, attract an additional surcharge.

“As one of the nation’s favourite places to buy their car parts online, it seems only right that we should be assisting shoppers with installation too. Offering buyers the option to have their tyres fitted felt like a natural progression and helps with our aim to provide every individual shopper with the ultimate buying experience,” comments Kevin Steward, head of sales, Vehicle Parts & Accessories, UK Trading at eBay.

Data taken from the eBay site between January and October 2017 shows that an average of 19,000 new tyres are purchased every month on eBay.co.uk. Steward notes that this time of year is typically accompanied by a spike in winter tyre purchases: “In November last year, searches for ‘winter tyres’ on the site increased 69 per cent month-on-month. I’m delighted that we are now not only able to offer buyers a full range of tyres but, by partnering with Blackcircles, to help with installation too.”