Operating an online marketplace for buyers and sellers of high value consumer goods such as vehicles that also features vehicle identification number decoding, vehicle market price comparisons, providing business information in the nature of automotive industry reports, and that enables buyers and sellers to communicate confidentially for purposes such as for making offers, counter-offers and accepting or rejecting such, scheduling test drives, state vehicular registration and title verification and transfer, providing consumer information in the nature of vehicle history and inspection reports; providing online searchable databases featuring classified advertising listings for high value consumer goods such as vehicles; providing consumer information in the field of automobiles for sale by means of the Internet; appointment scheduling services; state vehicle registration and title transfer; providing an online directory information service featuring information regarding vehicles in the nature of classified advertisements; and operating online marketplaces featuring vehicles