“Alibaba automates transport stores in China
Chinese online retail giant Alibaba has turned car sales “upside down”. Buying a car has become as easy as buying a chocolate bar from a vending machine. – vending machine). In this case, the vending machine is the size of a multi-storey building and the range includes new cars from brands ranging from Ford to Mercedes-Benz .
Alibaba, a company that used to sell vehicles only digitally, now allows the customer to physically access the car. For the first time, the company has created a real showcase of its offerings, with a capacity of 42 cars. Buyers can choose any car that catches their eye – from fuel to electric vehicles.
Instructions for using the Tmall Auto car “machine”:
- Scan a car you’ve spotted on the street that has impressed you with the Alibaba mobile app.
- Set the date and time for the test drive.
- Take a selfie, provide personal data.
- After face recognition, you will get access to the Tmall Auto device.
- The selected car will be dropped off from a multi-storey automated garage.
- You can even start a 3-day test drive!
P. S. Free trial rides in China are available to Alibaba Super Members or users with an unblemished credit history. Anyone else wishing to take a test drive must pay a deposit fee.
If you’re impressed with the car, it’s available on the mobile app. Alibaba Group’s finance section, Ant Financial, provides loan offers.
The company imposes certain restrictions to avoid abuses. For example, a user can only do one test drive at a time. In addition, new members can test drive a maximum of 5 cars in the first two months.
A car vending machine is designed to avoid the inconveniences that often arise when buying a new car. Huan Lu, Head of Marketing at Tmall Automotive, says: “For this reason, we are building an automated physical store that operates without staff. We offer in-depth 3-day test drives. You only need to visit our store once to choose a model from a popular car brand.”
Back in 2018, a Ford dealership “machine” was launched in the Guangzhou region of China. The American carmaker has launched a number of electric models: the Focus electric, the Ford Kuga and the Mustang MACH-E. Alibaba plans to expand the Tmall Auto store network in China’s major cities.
