Amazon Debuts 'Amazon Vehicles'

Amazon.com is launching a new feature called Amazon Vehicles today. This is a destination on the website that will house car specifications and reviews to help shoppers research, but Amazon won't be selling cars. Amazon also won’t link to special deals or offers from dealerships. The online retailer did try to sell cars once before — in 2000, Amazon backed the car-buying service Greenlight.com, but it was a short-lived experiment.

Total Retail’s Take: Amazon is becoming (if not already) the Google for product searches. Although consumers can’t purchase cars on Amazon, they can get all the information they need to make an informed purchasing decision elsewhere. If regulations around selling vehicles weren’t so strict, I’m sure Amazon would do the actual selling itself. This move also highlights Amazon’s automotive store that sells parts and accessories. Another day, another smart move by Amazon.