Beepi and Vroom and Carvana - will they make a DENT?

[ed.brooks]

Has it been a significant disruption in the industry? I think we both know the answer to that: no.

Can you say the same thing about CarMax? It took them years, BUT...

 

[Clay Toporski]

@Clay Toporski - You keep talking about selling a car. A customer is interested in buying a car - not being sold.

Therein lies the disconnect -

You can't buy anything without having someone sell something in return. You are just arguing semantics at this point. From a buying perspective, don't people buy something different than what they wanted originally at a greater than 50% number? Don't customers want to buy something they have driven before? Don't people want to work out the terms before purchasing and get a "deal" or a "fair" price? How do you accomplish any of these online through a website only?

 

[Clay Toporski]

Can you say the same thing about CarMax? It took them years, BUT...

CarMax is still brick and mortar. Yes, they have been a disruption, but not extremely significant.

 

[ed.brooks]

You can't buy anything without having someone sell something in return. You are just arguing semantics at this point. From a buying perspective, don't people buy something different than what they wanted originally at a greater than 50% number? Don't customers want to buy something they have driven before? Don't people want to work out the terms before purchasing and get a "deal" or a "fair" price? How do you accomplish any of these online through a website only?

Actually, 70% buy the same make/model they walked in to buy - Trim, color, options may change, but they pretty much buy what they intended to buy - most of the time.

 

[Clay Toporski]

Actually, 70% buy the same make/model they walked in to buy - Trim, color, options may change, but they pretty much buy what they intended to buy - most of the time.

I would like to see that statistic source because it goes against all the statistics from every source I have ever read and been told by highly reputable sources.

 

[ed.brooks]

CarMax is still brick and mortar. Yes, they have been a disruption, but not extremely significant.

Carvana is brick n mortar, and a vending machine at that.
The number one retailer of used cars in America is insignificant - OK!

 

[Clay Toporski]

Carvana is brick n mortar, and a vending machine at that.
The number one retailer of used cars in America is insignificant - OK!

There is a difference between being a significant disruption and being the number one retailer of used cars. CarMax hasn't significantly changed the way we sell used cars, nor I would be willing to guess, the way most used cars are sold. So, where is the disruption?

 

[ed.brooks]

There is a difference between being a significant disruption and being the number one retailer of used cars. CarMax hasn't significantly changed the way we sell used cars, nor I would be willing to guess, the way most used cars are sold. So, where is the disruption?

They really changed the perception of 'One Price" pretty dramatically

 

[ed.brooks]

I would like to see that statistic source because it goes against all the statistics from every source I have ever read and been told by highly reputable sources.

Actually it is 75% - sorry
69% of car buyers, regardless of generation, start off knowing very little about the vehicle they want to purchase. But by the time they reach the dealership, car buyers are significantly less likely to switch the make/model they have decided on: 75% end up purchasing the same make/model they had in mind when they first visited the dealership
http://agameautotrader.com/insights/view/2015-automotive-buyer-influence-study-1

 

[craigh]

Beepi and Vroom are two of those players…

Maybe I'm the only one that clicked the Vroom link, but that's some software for baby tracking or something?

I think we're talking about this Vroom: https://www.vroom.com/