GM testing eBay.com, would you buy a Chevy Volt without a test drive?

For the last several years, a majority of people who buy cars in the United States have done research on the Internet prior to purchasing. eBay motors is a major hub of activity when it comes to online car sales, but traditionally it’s offered lots of used products. GM is changing that now with a test in California where dealers will compete for online sales in an environment that puts customers in control.

Consumers will easily be able to see pricing and packages from other dealers in the area, and if they don’t feel the need to run a test drive, they can purchase directly from the site. There’s no need to physically visit the dealer at all during the selling process. That sounds great in a lot of ways, but would you consider buying a model like the Chevy Volt that you haven’t driven or interacted with prior?

GM is wondering the same thing, and the company has chosen California as a test because its residents are known for pushing technology and having a healthy demand for the new more fuel efficient vehicles in its lineup. Just look at Google as a perfect example, which is testing a fleet of modified Toyota Priuses in an effort to make them even more efficient. GM would have lots to gain with some free green publicity like that.

eBay claims it receives 12 million car shoppers each month according to a GM press release, and that such a high volume of traffic brings with it a new understanding of how shoppers make decisions. J.D. Power & Associates recently discovered in a study that in 2008 over 75% of people buying new cars used the Internet while shopping compared with 70% in 2007.

The main question with this experiment still centers around user experience and whether or not customers will trust a brand enough to make a purchase without physically evaluating the vehicle. It also creates a different spin on the debut of something like a Chevy Volt because customers theoretically would be able to easily see if dealers are price gouging due to strong demand.

Toyota encountered that challenge when demand for its second generation Prius skyrocketed. Some dealers padded the price with a “market value adjustment”. Selling on a platform like eBay makes that sort of profiteering much more transparent.