Double hands up if it’s because you feel you aren’t taken seriously when looking to buy that dream car or don’t have a man at your side to help make negotiations easier.
Well fear no more – a new online website aims to put ladies back in the driver’s seat when it comes to car purchasing power.
Dutch Aution Auto, launched last year, is the first of its kind site in Australia allowing buyers to negotiate a car sale, without age, gender and language barriers creeping into the process in a kind of blind auction.
Users, who are anonymous, post the car they want and the price they are willing to pay and sit back as dealers all around Australia make offers.
Founder Shoshi Vorchheimer said she was driven to launching the site after hearing how a female friend couldn’t go car shopping without a male companion tagging along.
Ms Vorchheimer said women shouldn’t feel intimidated by buying a car but admitted many did because it tended to be a man’s domain.
“Car dealers have a reputation for taking advantage of women who might not know as much about cars as men, as well as young people and people whose first language isn’t English who might not have the right level of bargaining and negotiating skills,” she said.
But Ms Vorchheimer added the site was a win win for buyers and for car dealers who were guaranteed a sale.
“Once you know what car you want to buy, you post the maximum price you’re prepared to pay for a new car, while dealers compete for the sale by offering their lowest possible price,” she said.
The launch of the website follows research which revealed more than half of Australian women feel intimidated walking into a car dealership alone, with 90 per cent admitting the main reason was because they felt they weren’t taken seriously enough by the car dealer.
A whopping 75 per cent of those questioned also felt they would be ripped off by a car sales representative, with more than half admitting they would buy from a website if it meant getting a better price.
The same survey also revealed more than 70 per cent of women want to buy a new over a used car and look for safety first, followed by looks and comfort.
This compared to cost for men, followed by engine capabilities and then safety.
and my hunband takes me along cuz i could get a better deal. so it all depends on the person
The home gets boring eventually.
I’m happy for Mrs. V. that she can help her husband make a good parnasah, and I too wish her much hatzlacha. But the feminist undertone of this article bothers me–“finally, Lubavitcher women are matching men in their worldly accomplishments.” Women shouldn’t feel they need to outdo men on men’s turf. Their main place should be in the home, making it a place of middos tovos and yiras Shomayim and simcha and emunah. Yes, there is nothing wrong with women doing business (as the Eishes Chayil itself relates), that should not be women’s source of kovod. Feminism is an evil… Read more »
Shoshi, may you have much hatzlacha!
so proud of you!
That is a great idea and I am so happy to see a woman in the drivers seat. Much hatzlacha! Mazal tov!
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