It’s no secret that car shopping is typically among consumers’ least favorite activities. It’s often perceived as a chore that’s time-consuming and confusing. Steve Rosen, a reporter for The Kansas City Star, recently wrote a piece about how he prefers handing over the purchasing process to a personal shopper. He gave the sales agent his price range and other preferences and waited for the options to roll in.
When I bought my first car, I chose a similar route. I gave my specifications to someone who really knew the industry and the values of certain vehicles. Within two weeks, I had a car and had successfully avoided the added stress.
What if there was a service like this for lending? Auto finance innovations are popping up across the board to ease complicated processes and increase efficiency. Could there be an option for consumers to use an impartial middleman to select the right loan? It would be nice to pass along that task to someone who knows how to best evaluate the options.
The view from my chair (dealer finance manager) is that they have their eyes set squarely on the business that I have been giving to Ally.
It’s a great way to get another car. Most of us are referred to as Brokers or Consultants, but I like the idea of being a Personal Shopper!
This is pretty common in states where the laws favor auto brokers. There is a new company in Seattle that provides 3rd party demo drives for dealers and consumers. Look for my interview with the company’s CEO in an upcoming issue of AutoFinanceNews.