Currently only in America, and only if you buy a Hyundai. But that's more than likely going to change.
As of now, you can buy a car - yes, a whole car - on Amazon. Same-day delivery not guaranteed. The e-commerce giant’s first foray into car shopping is called Amazon Auto. The company is partnering with Hyundai dealers in 48 cities in the US to list vehicles on the site. Customers can browse, order, find financing, and arrange delivery - all within the familiar confines of Amazon’s online ecosystem. But, if you’re looking for anything other than a Hyundai, you’re out of luck. At least for now.
“With Amazon Autos, we’re bringing the simplicity and ease customers expect from Amazon to car shopping, one of their largest purchases, while offering dealers a new channel to connect with a broad audience,” Fan Jin, global head of Amazon Autos, said in a statement. “We’re excited to have Hyundai as our exclusive launch partner and look forward to welcoming more brands and expanding our selection to customers as the program grows.”
People typically hate car shopping, with most surveys showing that the dealership experience tops people’s lists of frustrations. So Amazon could be on to yet another product category, though we don't expect vehicles to be delivered in a cardboard box.
What about trade-ins? Well, customers simply have to answer a series of questions about the conditions of the vehicle, after which the request will be processed by an “independent valuation service” to determine the value of the trade-in.
And for a limited time, Amazon is sweetening the deal by offering a gift card for $2,300 for anyone who buys a car through the site. The card can be applied to the vehicle purchase, but the offer ends on January 10th, 2025.
If Amazon is successful in moving Hyundais off the lot, expect several other automakers to follow suit speedily.