Beepi, Carvana Roll Forward In Quest To Replace Used Car Dealerships

In our last report, we told you that Beepi and Carvana offer vehicle purchases online. After receiving an order, the two startups say that they will ship vehicles to customers and offer a 7-10 day return policy. This story generated a few comments from the DrivingSales community. One commenter said that, “I am interested to see how their pricing stacks up. There is significant financial risk with this model (although they would have lower brick n’ motor expenses) but I anticipate it may actually be more expensive.” Another comment referred to these startups going after a new generation of customers. The poster explained that, “It’s the customers of tomorrow they’re after. Those who choose to value their time over kicking tires. Those who have grown up never knowing anything different. ”Another poster felt that, “Carvana, in my opinion, is too little too late. The dealers have already adapted to this change.”

Whatever your opinion is about these two companies, they seem to be headed in a positive direction. Carvana put out a press release today, August 14, to announce that they are hiring. 50 more people will be brought on to the staff at the Phoenix based company in the next six months. The slogan listed on the hiring page website is, “ Join a team that is disrupting the auto industry.”

Beepi, the other tech startup that sells online and delivers vehicles, is claiming to be in talks to raise $50 million in capital. Another thing that really sets Beepi apart is that they accept bitcoin payments. Beepi Founders Ale Resnik and Owen Savir revealed their thoughts on bit coin in an interview. “We’re reshaping the antiquated process of buying a car by removing complex barriers that go beyond just payment options,” the Beepi founders said in a statement. “In turn, bitcoin is reshaping an outdated payments industry, which is moving us toward a digital, cashless society.”

We will keep you up to date as these and other auto industry startups try to make their mark in retail automotive.