Volvo begins online car selling, from USA Today.
Volvo is beginning online car sales, the latest automaker to offer skittish buyers, and those who buy everything else on the Internet, a way to skip the dealerships and shop from their computers or mobile devices.
The move, begun in the U.S. earlier this year with a first-edition version of the redesigned XC90 crossover SUV, will be rolled out globally over time and will cover all Volvo models, the automaker said Monday.
It’s part of a broader plan that’s intended to use the company’s sales and marketing dollars more efficiently and effectively. Another tactic: Appear at only one big auto show on each of three continents, instead of trying to field expensive displays and introductions at all big shows.
The Swedish automaker, now owned by Chinese car company Geely, is small enough and has few enough new-model launches that it’s easily overshadowed at car shows by bigger rivals.