An ATV trader is a business that specializes in buying, selling, or trading all-terrain vehicles, known as ATVs. The ATV trader may have a physical location at which a customer can go buy, sell, or trade the vehicle, but more often, the trader operates either a print publication or an online website that a customer can visit to find vehicles for sale or trade in the area. The customer can also purchase a listing so he or she can sell an ATV on the website or in the print publication.
The business may take a cut of whatever profits are made from the sale of an ATV through the ATV trader website or publication. A seller will therefore either pay a fee up front to list the vehicle, or he or she will agree to pay a percentage of the sale to the trader. Buyers generally do not pay any fees to make a purchase. Rules for trading ATVs through a site can vary, and many sites do not allow or facilitate such transactions. Other sites may operate free of charge to buyers, sellers, and traders; the ATV trader will usually make money through advertising on the website.
An ATV trader will deal exclusively with all-terrain vehicles, though some websites or publications may combine listings for ATVs, motorcycles, and off-road vehicles such as jeeps and trucks. Traders that concentrate solely on ATVs may offer buying resources on the website or in the publication as well; such resources will give buyers a better understanding of what to look for in a used ATV, as well as where to look, how to inspect an ATV, and various other tips that may benefit the buyer or seller. In most cases, the ATV trader will assume no responsibility for the transaction itself, which means if the buyer ends up with a used ATV that immediately breaks down, the website or publication will not be responsible.
Some traders will include auctions in the sale listings. Auctions operate differently than straight sales in that the highest bidder on a particular ATV will end up with the vehicle. Auction sites such as eBay facilitate sales of ATVs as well as countless other items, and the company will take a cut of the sale from the seller. The buyer can complete the purchase through various secure payment systems, and the seller will be responsible for delivering a product that is in keeping with the description listed in the auction.