Amazon, Hyundai team up to start selling cars online

[Lauren]

IT SEEMS LIKE YOU CAN SHOP FOR NEARLY EVERYTHING ON AMAZON … AND NOW YOU CAN EVEN ADD A CAR TO YOUR SHOPPING CART..

THE MASSIVE RETAILER IS OFFICIALLY IN BUSINESS FOR ONLINE VEHICLE SALES.

THE COMPANY LAUNCHED “AMAZON AUTOS” PARTNERING WITH ONLY HYUNDAI DEALERS FOR NOW … IN 48 MAJOR U-S CITIES … INCLUDING ATLANTA, BOSTON, CHICAGO, LOS ANGELES.

CUSTOMERS CAN BROWSE AND ORDER VEHICLES, FIND FINANCING, AND SET UP DELIVERY — ALL ON AMAZON’S WEBSITE. 

ONCE THE PAYMENT IS DONE, CUSTOMERS SCHEDULE WHEN TO PICK UP THEIR CAR FROM A DEALERSHIP … WITH THE LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER BEING THE SELLER OF RECORD.

AMAZON AUTOS WILL EVEN HANDLE TRADE INS … AND PLANS TO ADD EVENTUALLY ADD LEASING AND EXPANDED FINANCING OPTIONS.

WHILE SOME COMPETITION EXISTS FROM OTHER ONLINE CAR SALE COMPANIES LIKE CARVANA AND CARMAX – THOSE WEBSITES ONLY HAVE USED VEHICLES FOR SALE AND AMAZON IS ONLY CURRENTLY SELLING NEW CARS.

THE BIG DRAW OF ONLINE CAR SHOPPING FOR MOST … IS AVOIDING THE TRADITIONAL DEALERSHIP EXPERIENCE THAT CAN OFTEN BE STRESSFUL AND INVOLVE ATTEMPTED UPSELLING FROM THE DEALER.

ACCORDING TO A RECENT SURVEY FROM CAR GURUS … NEARLY 70 PERCENT OF SHOPPERS SAY THEY WANT TO DO MORE OF THE CAR BUYING PROCESS FROM HOME.

REVIEWS OF AMAZON AUTOS SO FAR HAVE LISTED BOTH SOME PROS AND CONS … WITH A MAJOR PLUS BEING THE TRANSPARENCY AND SEEING AN EXACT PRICE BREAKDOWN … DOWN TO THE FLOOR MATS.

THERE’S ALSO A FEATURE ON AMAZON AUTOS THAT CAN STOP ANY ACCIDENTAL ONE-CLICK PURCHASING.

A “BEGIN PURCHASE” BUTTON MAKES IT OBVIOUS THAT YOU’RE STARTING THE BUYING PROCESS.

AS FOR THE NEGATIVES … SOME HAVE NOTED THAT THERE’S NO NEGOTIATING POWER ONLINE AND HAVE ALSO POINTED TO THE LACK OF SELECTION WITH IT ONLY BE HYUNDAI VEHICLES.

AMAZON SAYS IT PLANS TO ADD MORE MANUFACTURERS IN THE COMING YEAR. 

FOR SAN – I’M LAUREN TAYLOR. 

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