Imagine if you could buy a car the same way you buy presents for your in-laws. Hop onto Amazon, type in a few search cues, click a few buttons, scroll, “add to cart,” go through the checkout, click to confirm the purchase, and you have a car.
For some drivers, this is a reality as Amazon Autos slides into its beta stage. But is it a good idea? Is this going to be the subject of infinite “What I Bought vs. What I Received” posts? Most people genuinely dislike the process of car shopping. It’s nerve-wracking, and there are tons of details to stay on top of while you make the deal to bring home the car of your dreams. Meanwhile, millions of Americans place Amazon orders each day. Like it, love it, or can’t avoid it, many of us have found exactly what we needed at a decent price with minimal shipping hassles, thanks to Amazon. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of using Amazon Autos today.
Pro: It’s Amazon
The actual process of searching, narrowing down the results, filtering out what you do and don’t want, and clicking a button to add your purchase to your cart remains the same whether you’re buying an infuser teapot or a compact SUV.
Amazon describes the process as “Find, Pay, Protect, Pick up.” First, you search for your ideal model. You’ll have the ability to look at specific dealerships within a set distance from your home. You’ll get detailed pricing information, including any deals you might be eligible to receive. If everything looks good, you click the button to purchase your new car. You work out payment details during the checkout process. Once that’s all sorted, you’ll arrange to pick up your new Hyundai from a local dealership.
Con: It’s Not a Robust Program Yet
Currently, the only cars you can buy on Amazon Autos are Hyundai models. Hyundai has a fantastic lineup of SUVs, hybrid models, and the iconic Santa Cruz. But what if you want a vehicle that Hyundai doesn’t provide, like a heavy-duty pickup truck or a sports car?
Furthermore, Amazon Autos is only available to specific customers. Currently, it’s available to 54 markets across the nation. According to Hyundai, this covers about 71% of their customer base. These are impressive figures, but if Amazon Autos is to replace car dealerships entirely in the future, it might want to consider what upgrades the current platform will need to allow drivers to shop and compare multiple offers at once.
Pro: You Are Working With a Dealership
Unlike some items listed on Amazon, you don’t have to worry that this car doesn’t exist. Internet con artists are slippery suckers, but Amazon Autos is very real. You aren’t going to end up with a dollhouse-sized car or one that’s made of imposter materials. You really are getting a real Hyundai from a dealership near you. In fact, you can refine your search criteria to locations up to 75 miles away from your home. Everything about the vehicle and the dealership is displayed clearly on each listing for you to research and review before committing.
Con: You Can’t Kick the Tires
Most of us have somehow missed a significant detail in the product description. We either discover that the size XL sweater is big enough for a snail, or instead of ordering two bananas, we order two cases. It happens. The same is true of Amazon Autos. Though the list of features is as complete as possible, you won’t know if folding the rear seat will be too difficult to operate until it’s too late to change your mind.
To prevent this from happening, the product description is as thorough as it can possibly be. The number of seats, number of speakers, type of upholstery, even the steering wheel cover material… all of these details are very distinctly laid out in the product description and notes. Just like looking at photos on a dealership page, you’ll have multiple angles of the interior and exterior to help you make decisions.
However, as thorough as Amazon Autos may be, it’s really no substitute for sitting behind the wheel or taking a test drive. Once you’ve picked up your new car and driven off the lot, you are limited in what you can do. Hyundai offers a Three-Day Worry-Free Exchange policy through participating dealerships. This means you can stop the process any time during pickup or a few days following. You’ll need to check with each dealership directly to determine their exact guidelines.
Pro: Sincerely Transparent Pricing
Amazon Autos makes the guarantee of “Transparent pricing, always.” This isn’t a gimmick. Once you’ve selected a vehicle that strikes your fancy, all of the sales figures are very clearly posted on the item page, before you even start trying to purchase things.
You can pay cash for your vehicle through Amazon. At the time of purchase, you’ll be asked to put a $500 deposit on a credit or debit card. When you arrive at the dealership to pick up your car, you’ll be asked to pay the balance via a cashier’s check or wire transfer. You can also apply for financing through Amazon. The credit application you complete is sent to the dealer offering your car. The actual financing process will occur through the dealer.
Con: No Haggling
The price you see listed on Amazon is the price you will pay for the car. There is no negotiating, no extras thrown in, not even a handful of air fresheners and dealership swag for the kids. You could potentially get a dealership pen out of the deal since you have to be there in person to drive your new car home, but we’re not guaranteeing it. Ultimately, since you’re buying the vehicle online, you must pay the posted price. However, this may be a pro, rather than a con, to some who dislike the negotiation process. It’s unclear if there are any restrictions on finding a vehicle via Amazon Autos and going to the dealership to discuss options and make the purchase in person.
Pro: Trade-Ins Are Still Available
As you are completing the checkout process on Amazon Autos, you’ll be given the opportunity to add a trade-in to your purchase. This will trigger a lengthy questionnaire about your vehicle. Submit the questionnaire, and you’ll receive an estimate for the value of your trade-in. You can add this to your purchase, which will subtract the trade-in value from your purchase price. If you don’t like the trade-in price, you don’t have to continue the process. You can hang on to your old car, and no discount is applied.
Con: Again, No Haggling
You don’t have an opportunity to truly sell your amazing used vehicle to the dealership to try and get more money out of it. Your trade-in value is just an estimate until you pick up your car and the dealership is able to inspect your car to confirm all of the details. It’s good for seven days after receiving the estimate, but there are restrictions. For example, you can’t drive more than 300 miles between the date you receive the estimate and the date you take your car in for trade.
Right now, it’s hard to tell what lies in store for the future of Amazon Autos. Like every good idea since the dawn of history, there will surely be a learning curve for users and dealers alike. The technology certainly exists and makes sense in this application, but as Dr. Ian Malcolm warned the scientist of Jurassic Park, there are definite distinctions between whether you “could” and whether you “should” apply science to a particular situation. Only time will tell.
