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SALT LAKE CITY — If you're searching for a new car but are not a fan of negotiating with dealers, a new and free app might help.
At least four out of five car shoppers told Edmunds.com they hate haggling. So the website retooled its car-buying app to include what's called Lot Buddy.
“It’s a prenegotiated price that’s ready to go,” said Seth Berkowitz, president of Edmunds.com.
Using a phone's GPS, Lot Buddy knows when a buyer steps onto one of 10,000 lots partnered up with Edmunds. The buyer then can scroll through that dealer's inventory until they find the perfect model, in the perfect color, with the perfect options.
Then they just tap for a price Edmunds vows is haggle-free.
“They’re just not used to buying any other object that way,” Berkowitz said. “We live in the age of Amazon. Everybody is used to kind of simple, one-click fashion.”
Berkowitz said Edmunds has already done the negotiating for customers. All they need to do is present Lot Buddy's price to the dealer. Besides inventory and prices, the app includes tools to help buyers make sense of the purchase they're about to commit to.
“There’s also the transaction itself. Consumers need help. Should I buy? Should I lease? What are the various rates and how do I calculate monthly payments?” Berkowitz said.
Customers looking for additional incentives and rebates once they’re at a lot can use Lot Buddy to look up the VIN on the window sticker.
