I know that dealers are offering this now, and I think we've all seen the mattress ads where you order online or by phone.
Granted, I'm from a bit of a different generation, but why would you choose a mattress without being able to lay in it first to see if it's comfortable? It doesn't matter if they have an 'easy' return policy, why test the unknown with such a personal, tactile product like that? The same would apply to a vehicle. How do you know how it handles - just by reading reviews and specs?
The same goes for cymbals and drums. Anything that makes a sound needs to be heard in person, or at least in a high-quality recording.
No, I don't think the online car thing will last. Mattresses, too. The millennials will suddenly wake-up to what an iffy process that is, and return to actually trying before they buy.
Bermuda
I've been biased for quite sometime against car salesman and so when I started this thread, it was based on seeing a ton of recent ads on TV that you still could get a car. They would even deliver it to you. And it was those kinds of ads that got my mind going on 'other' changes we may see as the norm.
If I could buy a car without having to sit down with a salesman to negotiate... I would be one very happy guy.
I literally hate the experience more than dental work. It's always in the back of my mind... they are going to dump every kind of trick to f*** you by making as much money off you as possible. (There's a few other businesses I feel do the same thing, but that's for another time).
While I get what you're saying about how a car handles, I'm older now, tested many a car and my criteria of how a car handles is pretty simple and straight forward... It's quiet, comfortable, good gas mileage, looks nice and affordable. I think the type of vehicles I look at for the most part, all come off the parking lot the same. I'm not getting tripped up with nuances.
I like the idea of Carvana. We don't have one around here.
The last car I bought was with the online dealer. It was WONDERFUL. I knew what I wanted... because it was the latest model of what I've been driving. I studied the inventory. Online guy went back and forth on a couple of emails, but at the end of the day, I knew what I wanted, found it, and knew what the final costs were walking out the door. It was physically done in about 30 minutes.
I know this is an extreme example because I knew what I wanted, but still, I don't get the point of a salesman.