For a century or so, the shopping ritual at dealer showrooms for new and used vehicles hasnt changed much, apart from more comfortable chairs and the addition of latte machines.一个世纪以来，在经销商的展厅里出售新车或二手车的程序基本上没什么变化，只是多了一些难受的椅子和咖啡机什么的。But the Internet is unraveling the essence of new-car retailing, arming shoppers with more information than ever about features and prices, as well as expert reviews. Will shoppers soon be able to take the next step and order new cars online, like books, laptops and shoes?但互联网正在解构新车销售的本质，它让消费者了解到更加多有关汽车性能和价格的信息，同时还有专家的评测与观点。那么，旋即的将来，消费者否不会像买书、买鞋、卖笔记本电脑一样，开始在网上采购汽车呢？The debate over Internet vehicle sales rages, since automakers see it as a way to slash distribution costs by hundreds, and perhaps a few thousand dollars per vehicle. Dealers are aghast: They have shielded their franchises in every state with legislation. Many view Internet sales as a means of undermining them. Dealers assert that cars arent books or shoes and are best sold in person by their sales staff, a process that allows the shopper to test the vehicle, as well as explore financing and trade-ins.关于汽车能否在互联网上销售的争辩早已十分激烈。

汽车厂商们指出，网上卖车可以大幅度减少渠道成本，光是买一辆车的渠道成本就可增加几百、甚至几千美元。而经销商们则惊慌失措，他们早已在美国的各个州通过法律稳固了自己的经营权，许多经销商指出网上售车不会对他们的业务导致相当严重伤害。他们否认“汽车不是书也不是鞋”，最差还是通过与销售员面对面交流的方式来购车，因为消费者可以通过这个环节试驾车辆，同时知会贷款和折扣等有关的事宜。Tesla Motors (TSLA), the groundbreaking electric-vehicle manufacturer founded by Elon Musk, takes orders for its Model S sedan, which starts at $70, 000, on its website. The cars are delivered either at one of its 30 company-owned stores or can be drop-shipped to a buyers home. Tesla, clearly, is bucking law and tradition. In Texas, where the law precludes delivering directly to customers, we do so through third-parties, said Shanna Hendriks, a Tesla spokesperson. Were not saying well never have dealers; but that model doesnt make sense for us now.由艾伦马斯科投资的电动汽车制造商特斯拉汽车公司（Tesla Motors）早已开始在官网上拒绝接受Model S的订单了，这款车型的起价为7万美元。

这些车辆既可以运往这家公司享有的30家商店里，也可以必要运往消费者的家门口。似乎特斯拉并不怕挑战法律和传统。

特斯拉公司的发言人莎娜亨德里克斯说道：“德克萨斯州的法律禁令厂商把汽车必要运往消费者家里，所以我们是通过第三方这样做到的。我们并不是说道我们总有一天都不必须经销商，但就眼下来说，那种模式对我们没意义。

”Seth Berkowitz, president and chief operating officer of Edmunds.com, said the current franchise system makes it difficult to imagine a time when consumers can order new cars online completely separate from a specific showroom experience. Berkowitz said Edmunds is offering a feature that would allow shoppers to know exactly what a specific car will cost before they come to the dealership.汽车网车站Edmunds.com的总裁兼首席运营官塞斯伯克维茨认为：“在目前的授权经营体系下，很难想象一旦消费者几乎瓦解了经销商的展厅，转而在网上采购汽车不会是什么情形。”伯克维茨回应，Edmunds.com想获取一项新功能，告诉他消费者一款车型在抵达经销商展厅之前的成本是多少。

Because the market for used cars isnt protected by new-car franchise laws, it may provide a more promising opportunity for online vehicle sales. eBay Motors, a division of eBay (EBAY), offers thousands of vehicles online for sales between private parties. Many used-car dealers also use the digital platform and pay a listing fee.由于二手车市场不不受新车授权经营法维护，因此这个领域对于在线卖车来说有可能更加有前景。比如eBay旗下的eBay Motors就在网络上公布了成千上万辆车型信息，便利私人展开二手车交易。

很多二手车经销商也利用这个数码平台展开交易，而且还要缴纳一定的展出费用。Carvana, a venture sponsored by DriveTime, one of the nations largest used-car operations, has begun selling late-model used premium and luxury models on its own website. Carvana operates for the time being only in Atlanta and its environs but hopes to expand nationwide. What weve learned from our early experience is that shoppers like our on-line tools and money-back guarantee, said Ernie Garcia Jr., Carvanas chief executive officer. Barely in business for eight months, Carvana declines to specify how many vehicles it has sold, except to say that the rate is accelerating.Carvana是美国仅次于的二手车交易商之一DriveTime投资的一家公司，早已开始在自己的网上销售最新款的二手豪车和高端车型了。目前Carvana的业务还仅限于亚特兰大及周边地区，但它期望尽早将业务扩展到全美。公司CEO 小欧尼加西尼说道：“我们从早期的经验中了解到，消费者讨厌我们的在线工具和金融借贷。

”目前这家公司的业务刚积极开展8个月，不过它没透漏早已卖出了多少辆二手车，只是说道销售速度正在加快。Garcia did say that the first hundred vehicles sold by Carvana reflect what he called a promising trend of high satisfaction among buyers. Four buyers of the first hundred werent satisfied with their purchase and exercised their right to trade the vehicles they bought for another. Only one of the hundred demanded a refund.加西亚讲解，Carvana公司首批售出的100辆二手车在客户中的满意度很高，伴随了光明的前景。这100个客户中，只有4个人对他们出售的车辆不失望，而且行使了转车的权利，另外只有1名客户拒绝退车返款。

Garcia said that sales of new and used vehicles at dealerships, in the conventional manner, reflect about $2, 000 a car in sales, general and administrative cost. He regards that amount as margin that can and will eventually shrink as online attracts more vehicle shoppers.加西亚回应，在传统的销售方式下，无论是买新车还是旧车，每辆的销售成本、一般成本与管理成本特一起，都低约2,000美元左右。他指出，随着网络售车的模式更有更好的消费者，这部分金额最后不会大跌，转化成利润。Jeff Jones, Internet director for Al Serra Auto Plaza, a new-car dealer in Grand Blanc, Michigan, said his company is cooperating in an on-line pilot program with General Motors (GM). Visitors to GM websites can build a vehicle and equipment online -- the last step, the transaction, takes place at the dealership. It still takes a human element to make sure the customer is eligible for financing and to see if the customer is choosing the right vehicle for him or her, said Jones.密歇根州大布兰克市的Al Serra Auto Plaza汽车讫的网络总监杰夫琼斯回应，他的公司正在与通用汽车公司（General Motors）合作展开一项试点项目。

用户可以采访标准化官网来在线“生产”一辆车及其涉及配备，但最后一步、也就是交易的过程依然在经销商的门店里展开。他说道：“要保证购车者的确具备贷款的资格，以及他否自由选择了合适他的车型，人的因素依然是适当的。”New-vehicle sales online havent arrived, and perhaps may never. Yet that day feels as though its drawing closer, especially for consumers who will choose anything and everything -- including a spouse -- using keypad or mouse.新车的在线销售虽然还没沦为现实，而且说不定总有一天都将是纸上谈兵，但是给我们的感觉毕竟这一天早已离我们越来越近了。

尤其是有些消费者早已习惯了用鼠标和键盘挑选出和出售一切东西，甚至还包括挑选出自己的人生伴侣。

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