Would really like to find out why they're shutting down. I ran a virtual car dealership for a while and then started a similar site to carwoo, before carwoo. It was absolutely crazy. Six months into it, both my cofounder and I decided it was best to shut it down (amid concerns that his employer might just end up getting all or a significant chunk of our work).
The auto industry is a very weird one. Entrenched in their own way, and I learned that it's a zero sum type game where the one willing to stoop the lowest will win. Going to a few "dealer workshops" I learned psychological tactics to make the customer feel like crap to get them to pay you more money and sign contracts that they would inevitably regret later. Eventually I realized that in the back it's really a financing industry (at least for new cars) and for used cars it's a zero sum, get the most you can scenario or bloodsucking buy here pay here deals.
After a significant amount of time and money, I was humbled at how much of an uphill battle it was to try to innovate in the industry. Have been watching CarWoo & TrueCar with a lot of interest (I'm a fan) since I can feel what they're up against. I'd like to know why CarWoo feels it's time to shut it down. Tesla has, IMHO, disrupted the new car market to some degree and the industry is dire need of change. Here's to hoping the folks at CarWoo go on to bigger and better things!
The auto industry is a very weird one. Entrenched in their own way, and I learned that it's a zero sum type game where the one willing to stoop the lowest will win. Going to a few "dealer workshops" I learned psychological tactics to make the customer feel like crap to get them to pay you more money and sign contracts that they would inevitably regret later. Eventually I realized that in the back it's really a financing industry (at least for new cars) and for used cars it's a zero sum, get the most you can scenario or bloodsucking buy here pay here deals.
After a significant amount of time and money, I was humbled at how much of an uphill battle it was to try to innovate in the industry. Have been watching CarWoo & TrueCar with a lot of interest (I'm a fan) since I can feel what they're up against. I'd like to know why CarWoo feels it's time to shut it down. Tesla has, IMHO, disrupted the new car market to some degree and the industry is dire need of change. Here's to hoping the folks at CarWoo go on to bigger and better things!