Amazon will start selling cars online from next year, the retail giant has announced.
Customers in the United States will be able to choose, customise and buy a vehicle and schedule delivery through a local dealer.
Marty Mallick, Amazon’s vice-president, said the move was aimed at “changing the ease with which customers can buy vehicles online”.
The online selection will be initially limited to Hyundai vehicles and will begin from the “latter part of 2024”, Amazon said.
Shoppers will be able to select models from a local inventory and choose a financing option from Amazon.com. They can then pick up the car from the dealership or have it delivered to their home.
The agreement is an expansion of a deal announced two years ago to expand Hyundai’s digital showroom on Amazon.com, which the companies launched in 2018.
The partnership will enable buyers of new Hyundai vehicles in 2025 to access Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant from their cars.
“This new shopping experience will create another way for dealers to build awareness of their selection and offer convenience to their customers,” the companies said in a joint statement.
Amazon has introduced a variety of features over the years aimed at attracting customers thinking about buying and fixing cars. Its “Your Garage” feature saves customers’ car makes and models to make it easier to find parts and accessories. Shoppers can also buy tyres on Amazon which will connect them with a local installation service.
Hyundai is hopeful Amazon’s platform will help boost sales but it will continue to embrace the dealership model because of the important role they play in vehicle service, a spokesman said.
Read more via The Telegraph
