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Hyundai has introduced a “digital showroom” as part of the Amazon Vehicles research hub. Although Amazon’s vehicle sales section debuted in August 2016, Hyundai is the first automaker to establish a dedicated brand space within this platform.
Similar to the overall Amazon Vehicles, Hyundai’s new portal enables users to research vehicles while guiding them to local dealerships for actual purchases. Shoppers can access vehicle details, read reviews, view pricing comparisons across different trim levels, and schedule test drives. Furthermore, they are directed to HyundaiUSA.com to explore local dealer inventories.
The digital showroom features videos showcasing Hyundai’s technological advancements, including the Blue Link telematics system and Amazon Alexa integration, in addition to highlights from the Shopper Assurance program. This program offers benefits such as flexible test drive options and a three-day money-back guarantee. According to Dean Evans, chief marketing officer of Hyundai Motor America, this initiative played a crucial role in persuading Amazon to link shoppers to an external website, a step that is unusual for the retail giant, as mentioned in an interview with Automotive News.
In 2016, Hyundai collaborated with Amazon on the “Prime Now, Drive Now” initiative, which allowed customers to arrange personalized test drives via the Amazon Prime Now delivery service. During this initiative, a 2017 Elantra was delivered to customers at their preferred locations for a 45 to 60-minute test drive.
The unfavorable perception of car dealerships tends to facilitate the transition of car sales to online platforms. However, as Tesla has discovered with its direct-sales approach, franchise laws and influential car-dealer lobby groups pose significant challenges to eliminating dealerships from the sales process. By providing a browsing experience online, Hyundai may find a way to minimize the stress of car buying while keeping its dealerships satisfied.
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