At Bowers Automotive, we know that many people find it easier to make purchases online. However, you can’t buy a car on Amazon – but you can research one. Yes, the world’s largest online retailer can now give you insight into the vehicle you want to purchase. Feel free to shop for clothes, home electronics and groceries, then swing by Amazon Vehicles to research the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V you’ve been going back and forth about buying. You can even do it all in your pajamas, nobody’s looking!
What Is Amazon Vehicles?
In August of last year, Amazon launched a new extension of their website entirely dedicated to vehicles. Their idea was to create an online automotive community, an interactive hub, with the capacity to do everything except to purchase a car.
This new site, Amazon Vehicles, allows users to purchase car parts, accessories, and exchange reviews of cars. The site also provides many resources to help customers research both old and new models. Just find the vehicle you’re interested in learning more about, and check out its listing, including detailed specifications, multiple images, and video content. And don’t forget those user-generated reviews.
What some don’t know is that this new venture is simply an extension of Amazon’s auto parts section of the website. For many years, consumers have been able to shop for and buy replacement parts for many different vehicle models. Some speculate that savvy customers may have already been using this site to predict potential issues with cars. You can see which replacement parts are most popular and reviews often specify details on why they were needed. For the eagle-eyed consumer, this was a way of spotting weaknesses in vehicles on the market. This is the sort of information that is hard to access through usual consumer channels.
Buying Cars is More Complicated
Unfortunately, Amazon hasn’t yet made the leap to online shopping for actual vehicles. The fact is that many states are limited by franchise laws that protect car dealerships, making it difficult for auto manufacturers or online businesses to sell directly to the consumer. Amazon’s new foray into the automotive world can be seen as a step in the right direction. It is putting more power in the hands of the consumer and even offers recommended pricing from manufacturers.
Up until now, local car dealerships were the primary source of information on new vehicles. Some car enthusiasts may have used auto magazines or websites to help make their decisions, but most would trust the opinion of car salespeople when making a purchase. With Amazon’s new tools at their fingertips, consumers can get their information, brake pad specs to potential engine issues, from an unbiased source and learn from the experience of other car owners.
For now, you can’t buy a car on Amazon – but you can research one thoroughly! Getting your car serviced and repaired is another task that has to be done in person. For all your vehicle maintenance needs in Colorado Springs, Bowers Automotive is here to help! We offer the highest quality auto repair and maintenance work for a fair price. For more information, feel free to contact us or stop by our auto shop to talk to us in person.