Online car shopping platform Canada Drives eyes national expansion

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Over the past year, online car shopping platforms have become more important to Canadians seeking a new ride than ever before. Many of these websites launch with a limited scope, serving just a few cities or provinces, but they’re seeking expansion to new audiences. Canada Drives, a platform that was founded in Vancouver back in 2010, is now opening its platform up to Ontario-based shoppers and is looking to open up to serve 80 per cent of Canadians by the end of next year.

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“Having been a part of the automotive industry for the past 11 years, we have seen a shift in consumer needs and are confident that we can provide a more transparent, convenient and ultimately enjoyable car purchasing experience for Canadians,” says Co-CEO of Canada Drives, Cody Green. “We expect to see continued growth in online car shopping and will continue to expand our inventory and offering to meet that. We are proud to be expanding the service and accessibility that Canadians have come to know and trust from Canada Drives, and intend to serve as a leader in this industry.”

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Online car shopping platform Canada Drives eyes national expansion Back to video

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Canada Drives is an online car shopping platform that not only allows customers to research and find the vehicle they’re looking for, but also lets them pay for it online, either in full or through financing. Shoppers can also sign all the required documents online and will get the car delivered right to them, sometimes within the same day. Trade-in vehicles can be appraised online and picked up upon delivery of the new vehicle.

There are other services like Canada Drives, including Curbie and Clutch, which all promise to make car shopping an online-only experience, saving customers from the headaches of travelling to used car lots or dealing with third-party sellers. Curbie recently announced its expansion from Saskatchewan to other Western provinces like Alberta and Manitoba, while Clutch serves Ontario, BC and Nova Scotia.

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Vehicles on Canada Drives feature a 150-point inspection and include a free CARFAX history report, which should help ease the concerns of used car shoppers. Additionally, cars bought on Canada Drives are subject to a seven-day “love it or return it” policy, which includes a money-back guarantee. This stands in for the test drive, which is pretty generous, but the company also includes a no-charge 30-day warranty.

So far, Canada Drives has processed over one million car loan applications and has over 350 dealer partners to stock up its online inventory. With over 1,000 vehicles for sale on the website from B.C. and Ontario, the company is aggressively expanding to serve new territories by the end of next year. Helping to make that happen is the US growth equity firm Anthos Capital, which invested a hefty $100-million into Canada Drives back in 2019. All that’s left to do is expand the service across the country.