Tennessee Dealer Invents ZipFlip, Private Party Sales Platform

For consumers, selling their own vehicle can be easy or challenging. If they don’t have any experience selling or don’t enjoy or understand how the process works, it can be a difficult transaction. How they sell is also completely random and based on whatever strategy they cook up. However, a start-up called ZipFlip wants to change all of that.

Zipflip, out of Chattanooga, Tennessee is looking for a fresh approach to the person-to-person vehicle sales process. The appeal for consumers is this approach could make their sale appear more professional and requires less work on their end to craft a selling and marketing strategy from scratch.

This whole process works when consumers enter their vehicle VIN number into the ZipFlip system. That input generates a window sticker to put on their car. The sticker includes the vehicle value according to Edmunds, called true market value. The window sticker also has a QR type code that allows them to contact the seller by scanning it. The vehicle sale can then be marketing on social media or Craigslist. The aim seems to be to make the sales process for consumers more streamlined and safer.

According to reports, the Zipflip software also has identity verification in order to allow consumers to interact with buyers in lieu of scammers. According to a ZipFlip video both the buyer and seller have to confirm their identity before going forward with usage of the system. ZipFlip uses an in-house messaging product to allow communication between parties to be part of and within the ZipFlip software. The Zipflip product costs $100. However, that amount is cut in half as it’s divided between the seller and buyer as the notion is that it helps both parties. Every car sold through Zipflip has a 30-day, 1,000 mile power train warranty and can facilitate an electronic payment option for transaction.

ZipFlip just won a $20,000 prize from Edmunds at their Hackamotive event. The man behind ZipFlip is actually a dealer. That man is Tim Kelly, the chairman and CEO of the organization who also owns the Kelly auto group, which is comprised of two new and used Subaru and Mitsubishi stores in Chattanooga. Speaking with the TimesFreePress about his venture into private selling as a dealer Kelly said, “I do get a lot of questions. There will always be a place for dealers and trade-ins.”