Bridging the $15.5B Gap: The New eBay Australia Study
In the auto recycling industry, we’ve long discussed the “Million-Dollar Gap”—the revenue lost between what a yard currently produces and what it could achieve with total operational consistency.
Recent data has finally put a number on the scale of this opportunity. New research commissioned by eBay Australia and conducted by YouGov reveals that Australian drivers are sitting on a collective $15.5 billion in potential savings by choosing Recycled Original Equipment (ROE) over brand-new parts.
As the industry partner behind the Commercial Benefits Analysis for this study, Auto PARTnered Solutions (APS) worked to quantify these savings. Our data confirms that for major mechanical components like engines, transmissions, and differentials, consumers can save up to 85% compared to new dealer equivalents.
The Shift in Consumer Behavior
The survey of over 1,000 vehicle owners shows that the "stigma" of recycled parts has largely disappeared. Today’s buyers are driven by value, and they are increasingly comfortable with ROE.
Market Readiness: 82% of vehicle owners are open to purchasing recycled parts today.
The Motivating Factor: 64% of those buyers cite cost savings as their primary reason.
Quality Perception: 62% of drivers could not tell the difference between a high-quality recycled part and a new one when viewed side-by-side.
The Bottleneck: It’s Not Supply, It’s Access
One of the most critical findings for recyclers is that 49% of drivers have struggled to find the parts they need through traditional retail channels.
This is the "Gap" in action. The inventory exists in our yards, and the $15.5 billion demand exists in the consumer's wallet. The "struggle" identified in the research proves that the industry needs better operational consistency and digital visibility to connect the two.
While eBay provides a massive global marketplace, APS provides the tools to ensure your yard can handle that volume. Whether it is through AI-driven sales assistance or eBay listing optimization, the goal is to ensure that when a customer searches for a part, your yard is the one that captures the inquiry and closes the sale.
Professionalizing the Industry
This research validates a major shift. By providing a professional bridge between the recycler and global platforms, we are helping the industry move toward a high-efficiency digital model.
As Chris Daglis, Managing Director of APS, noted: “This research validates that recycled auto parts offer a compelling proposition. Together with eBay, APS is dedicated to fostering the infrastructure and confidence needed for the motor industry to fully integrate and future-proof its operations.”
The secret is out. The demand is documented. The only question is: Is your yard consistent enough to catch it?
Ready to capture your share of the $15.5B market? At Auto PARTnered Solutions, we provide the tools to win the digital marketplace.