Chevrolet Opens Sales Through Amazon Mexico

Mexican shoppers can reserve and buy a Chevrolet SUV completely digitally through Amazon Mexico, signaling the latest effort by the automotive industry to meet customers online.

The US auto manufacturing company Chevrolet partnered with the US multinational technology company Amazon’s Mexican branch for the sale and distribution of the SUV Groove 2022. As early as November 5, the SUV was available for exclusive purchase through amazon.com.mx.

To purchase the vehicle, customers can log into Amazon and buy a reservation kit that will be delivered to their address along with a purchase certificate. Customers can then select a Chevrolet distributor of their choice where they will be able to finalize their sale in-person at an assigned date.

The reservation kit purchase comes with an installed black accessory “techno bi-tone” kit with a market price of US$479.85 as well as an Amazon Mexico gift card worth US$240.17 and a three-month membership to Amazon Music Unlimited.

Chevrolet’s move follows a larger shift by the automotive sector to go where costumers are going, as in-person dealership visits were on the decrease even before the pandemic. Mandated quarantines shutting down dealerships across the world only expediated the urgency for increased digital sales by the automotive sector and even presented an opportunity many were quick to take. One of which was the Mexican startup-success-story Kavak, which simplified the purchase of used vehicles to an easy-to-use app.

“The growth of online sales led us to take action and look for a way to be present where our customers are buying,” said Karla Ortega, Director of Advertising & Promotions, General Motors Mexico. “We are enthusiastic about this collaboration with Amazon Mexico and trust that our clients will find value in this initiative.”

Automotive manufacturers do not want to the sales of new vehicles to fall behind. Chevrolet participated in this transformation by partnering up with Amazon, the leading online B2C retailer in Mexico as marked by 2020 sales revenue amounting over US$1.4 billion throughout the year. In second place was Walmart with less than half of Amazon’s revenue at US$672 million.

With the inclusion of marketplace platforms, Mercado Libre leads in online visits of e-commerce websites with 43.6 percent of the total share while Amazon Mexico places second with 18.3 percent. US Amazon, amazon.com as opposed to amazon.com.mx, holds fifth place with 5.92 percent. Mercado Libre has previously offered the exclusive purchase of the Mini Cooper through its website. Across platforms, automotive sales seem to be digitalizing even after quarantines temporarily closed in-person sales through vehicle distributors as the temporary modification on sales expedited the automotive sector’s online transition.