No stranger to unorthodox car ownership schemes, Geely introduced its proprietary online car buying service in China – complete with home delivery – on February 10. In doing so, the company has become one of the first brands in the Middle Kingdom to offer a fully “contactless” vehicle purchasing service, without customers ever having to walk into a dealership.
Here, not only will buyers be able to customise and pay for their Geely online and have it delivered right to their doorstep, they will even be able to arrange for a test drive from their home, coordinating with local dealers. The company also offers additional services such as licensing and insurance as part of its service, with customers being able to choose from multiple financing and insurance providers.
Geely had previously collaborated with third-party online sales platforms, but it claims that since it launched its own service, it has experienced unprecedented growth. Online orders in its first week increased fivefold compared to the same period last year, while sales leads from its website were more than 75 times higher.
All of Geely’s models, including the Jiaji MPV and Boyue Pro, are offered for online purchasing and home delivery, and the carmaker says it is hoping to expand the service to include home and office collection and delivery for servicing and maintenance.
The introduction of a full online car purchase and delivery platform has no doubt been hastened by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, as quarantines and travel restrictions have severely impacted car sales. The industry reported an 18% decline in January, a deficit that widened to a massive 92% in the first half of February.