Used cars may soon be on the menu at Amazon alongside all the other markets where the titanic Internet retailer is active as it continues a “public beta test” of its Amazon Autos division, begun late last year.
Right now, Automotive News reports, Amazon Autos is partnered with Hyundai, offering purchase and financing of the South Korean automaker’s new vehicles alongside its upcoming assortment of used cars.
By now, Amazon Autos has expanded from offering new Hyundai vehicles in 48 markets to 64 markets, according to its director Fan Jin. The vehicles can be bought outright or with financing arranged during the checkout process, with displayed prices including all taxes and fees.
Jin remarks that Amazon Autos is “getting into used cars soon” and will offer used car lots a new, high-profile online outlet, “providing this channel for dealers for a fully e-commerce transaction.” She noted that customers will also be able to visit lots to test drive the offered used cars before finishing the purchase over the Web, while also pointing out “demographic customer data tells us that more and more customers are comfortable with a fully online car transaction.”
Amazon Autos will compete not only with sites like Carvana, but also with GM’s used car sales platform CarBravo. The website opened for business in late June 2022 with all listed vehicles guaranteed to have been inspected by Certified Service technicians. Complete information and 360-degree views of the vehicles are provided as part of each listing.
GM Authority has explored the differences between Certified Pre-Owned vehicles and the used cars offered on CarBravo. Notably, dealers can list on either GM CPO or CarBravo, but cannot utilize both programs. Just a few months ago at the end of 2024, The General boosted CarBravo sales by offering cheap Barbie Dream Car toys for sale at a similar promotional website.
Amazon plans to develop a way to offer add-ons to used cars such as extended warranties, finance, and insurance, while maintaining the more relaxed atmosphere offered by online purchases. As Fan Jin also remarked, “there’s obviously not going to be a hard sell on Amazon.”
Comments
Will there be free returns?
You can return a car purchased for free if you return it by the limit specified at the purchase date. Read the fine print on the agreement. I returned a car in a week. Just lost a few hours of my time.