You can get many different things from Amazon. Whether it’s electronics, clothing, food, cleaning products or medical equipment, items can be ordered and then conveniently delivered to your home. But what about cars? Can you order and buy a new car online from Amazon?
New cars cannot be ordered directly from Amazon, due to archaic dealer laws
People today love the convenience of shopping online. One does not have to deal with the hassle of driving to a store to buy an item. They can just go to a computer or smartphone, click on the item they want, and receive it, often within a couple of days.
Does this convenience translate into car buying? Can someone go to Amazon and order and buy a new car? Unfortunately, mainly due to archaic and protectionist dealer laws in the United States, one-click vehicle purchasing is not available on Amazon. Most states have decades-old laws that force people to go through a dealership if they want to buy a new car.
That said, the pandemic has significantly changed the car buying experience. In the past, visiting a dealership in person was typically the only option for new vehicles. However, the pandemic forced automakers and dealers to adapt. This made it possible for customers to build and reserve a car on OEM sites. However, due to regulations, the purchase and final documentation is still done through a dealer.
There are exceptions, such as electric car makers Tesla and Rivian, which do not have a traditional dealership business model. They evade the laws through local “retail centers”. However, for ordering and buying a new car, Amazon is not an option.
Other countries offer direct online shopping for new cars, including the Chinese site Alibaba
This archaic method of buying new cars through a dealership is very different from other countries that do not have such strict dealership laws, such as China. Alibaba, a Chinese online retailer similar to Amazon, offers a large number of new cars, including low-cost ones. Some Americans even order cars from Alibaba.
However, delivery times from China to the US are very long, shipping costs are high, and there are often problems with customs. There are also quality concerns.
Amazon has a vehicle show section to investigate
While car shoppers can’t directly order a new car from Amazon, the online retailer does have a vehicle showroom section. The Vehicle Showroom section is where customers can research various cars. There are photos, videos, details on features and specifications, and other content that helps inform car buyers about specific models.
For the Vehicle Showroom section, Amazon has partnerships with several car manufacturers. This includes Hyundai, Dodge, Jeep, Nissan, Volvo and Mitsubishi. The automaker with the most presence on the site is Hyundai. There is a Hyundai Evolve page where customers can schedule a test drive.
What about Rivian?
It is interesting to note that Rivian does not have a vehicle showroom page on Amazon. In addition to its minority stake in Rivian, Amazon is the electric car maker’s largest customer. Rivian has a contract with the online retailer to build thousands of electric Prime delivery vans. But to order an electric R1T truck or R1S SUV, customers can only do so through Rivian.
While you can’t order new cars from Amazon, there are plenty of vehicle parts and accessories available for sale. In the Amazon Automotive section, you can order things like tires, wheels, engine components, brakes, mufflers, tools, paint, oil, windshield wipers, and car care products.
We’ll have to see what the future of new car shopping holds for Amazon and other online retailers and sites like Facebook Marketplace. More people realizing the convenience of online shopping could catalyze change in the United States. It could range from protectionist dealer laws and an archaic vehicle buying experience, to greater accessibility through online retailers.
