eBay Sellers Join a Historic Weekend at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix

For more than two decades, car enthusiasts from coast to coast have relied on eBay for projects big and small — from extending the life of their personal vehicles to building a brand new World War II-era Jeep.

eBay sellers rely on the platform to turn their automotive expertise and entrepreneurial spirit into businesses that support themselves, their families, and jobs in their communities.

Alec Larson’s journey began in 2016 when he was working nights as a contracted musician at Disney Springs in Florida. He saw a colleague successfully selling airplane parts on eBay, and he decided to try something similar with automotive parts.

What started as a side hustle quickly grew into a full-time business. Today, he operates Larson Enterprises out of a 3,400-square-foot warehouse, employs three people, and has sold more than 49,000 items on eBay. The company specializes in original equipment manufacturer (OEM) automotive parts, working with dealers throughout Central Florida to source inventory and listing the large majority of its products on eBay.

“eBay has always been a central anchor point for our store,” Alec said.

So, it was fitting that Alec attended the Freedom 250 Grand Prix alongside fellow eBay sellers Walter Gonzalez of GonWalt and Jon and Tony Feichter, a father-son team from Baseline 4x4 Recyclers.

The Small Businesses Driving eBay Motors

As the first motor race held around the National Mall, the day offered a fitting opportunity to recognize the small businesses that help automotive enthusiasts repair, restore and personalize their vehicles.

The sellers represented different parts of the automotive ecosystem and different paths to entrepreneurship. Larson specializes in OEM automotive parts in Florida, while Jon and Tony Feichter’s Baseline 4x4 Recyclers in Kendallville, Indiana, gives used automotive parts a second life.

The Feichter family’s business began as a small side hustle. Jon’s brother, Jarod, then in high school, built a test vehicle at the family car lot and began listing the leftover parts on eBay. Those early sales showed the family there was a real business opportunity in giving used automotive parts a second life. They expanded into recycling and reselling parts and made the business their full-time focus in 2019. Jon joined in 2021 to focus on growing the company’s e-commerce operations.

Today, Baseline 4x4 Recyclers employs 19 people, operates a retail facility in northeast Indiana, and has sold more than 176,000 items on eBay.

“eBay really helps us market and sell smaller parts,” Jon said. “You can be selling and moving inventory 24/7 with eBay.”

The sellers who attended the Grand Prix reflect the independent businesses that make up the eBay community — entrepreneurs who have spent years building specialized inventories and expertise and who use e-commerce to connect with customers well beyond their local communities.

These entrepreneurs are part of an eBay marketplace with more than 110 million live listings of parts and accessories. That reach allows independent sellers to connect with automotive enthusiasts searching for the right part, wherever they may be.

The protections eBay provides buyers also help customers shop with confidence. eBay Guaranteed Fit, for example, helps shoppers determine whether eligible parts match their vehicles, while free returns on qualifying purchases provide additional confidence when buying parts and accessories online.

For Alec, attending the Freedom 250 Grand Prix marked another chapter in a journey that began with selling auto parts during his free time and grew into a dedicated automotive business.

“eBay has always been a central anchor point for our store,” Alec said. “It’s been a dream opportunity that has worked out.”

Together, Alec, Walter, Jon, and Tony put a spotlight on the independent sellers and small businesses that keep vehicles on the road, parts in circulation, and automotive communities connected across the country.