The day has come: Amazon has started selling cars

You can now buy a new car on Amazon, no joke. The retail giant has launched Amazon Autos, a portal that allows U.S. citizens to purchase their next vehicle through Jeff Bezos’s platform, as if it were a microwave or a book.

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Announced on Tuesday, Amazon Autos allows customers to search for vehicles available at participating local dealerships. Users can also filter results by model, trim, color, fuel type, and other features.

Although Amazon Autos only offers Hyundai vehicles at its launch, Amazon plans to add more automotive brands next year, also allowing searches by brand.

The pity is that Amazon does not offer its reliable Prime delivery on cars

Amazon claims that Auto customers can choose a vehicle, secure financing, electronically sign the relevant documentation, and place their order “with a few clicks,” saying they are “streamlining” the car buying process.

However, the company’s famous delivery service does not apply to Amazon Autos. Once the purchase is completed, buyers will be directed to choose a date and time to pick up their new car at a local dealership themselves.

“We are partnering with dealerships and brands to redesign car buying, making it more transparent, convenient, and easy for the customer,” said Amazon Autos’ global director, Fan Jin. “With Amazon Autos, we are bringing the simplicity and ease that customers expect from Amazon to car buying, one of their biggest purchases, while providing dealerships with a new channel to connect with a broad audience.”

Of course, the nature of online shopping means that Amazon Autos removes some previously omnipresent elements in buying a new car, for better or for worse.

Amazon Autos does not offer the possibility to haggle, with fixed prices that keep costs “transparent” but prevent customers from trying to negotiate a better deal.

There also doesn’t seem to be an option to test drive vehicles to see if you like how they feel, nor are there salespeople to consult if a different car might better suit your transportation needs. Some may miss that human interaction, but others will undoubtedly consider the lack of salespeople a plus for Amazon Autos.

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Customers can trade in their current car by answering questions about its condition for valuation, and then hand it over when they pick up the new one. Next year, new features will be added, such as leasing and other financing options.