While it may seem a bit odd, we could’ve seen this coming. You can buy most everything at Walmart, so a car doesn’t seem out of the realm. Regardless, starting on April 1, Walmart will partner up with local dealerships to make your car buying experience easy and haggle free. Does this sound interesting you? Walmart hopes so as they plan on making this program nationwide some time soon.
Walmart isn’t the first retailer to step into car sales. Costco has been doing it for awhile now, averaging almost 1,000 cars per year for each store according to Automotive News. That’s a big number considering how it flies under the radar of most. Walmart hopes to mimic these numbers by co-operating with AutoNation, the largest new vehicle retailer in America.
Not only will you be able to buy a car in-store, you’ll also be able to view financing options and insurance policies. This rounds out the experience, helping to make Walmart even more of a “one-stop shop”. CarSaver kiosks will be located inside 25 stores at the time of launch, allowing customers to pick from a selection of new and used cars that are available at local dealerships. CarSaver will be paid $350 in most states as a reward for helping sell units to buyers. And if that isn’t enough convenience for you, Walmart even has an 800 number set up for you to call and place orders.
This unique approach takes out the hassle for potential car buyers. A recent study shows that people would rather visit the dentist than the car dealer, proving how unpopular the process really is. Set prices will help keep things trouble free for both parties, perhaps offering a better alternative to the popular method. By no means will this replace car dealerships, but instead branch them out to other venues, helping manufacturers and third parties as well.
Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, and Oklahoma City will host the first CarSaver locations in April. If this initiative is successful, expect it to spread out to other Walmart Supercenters across America.