Carlypso – Convenient Car Sales

Technology is changing the game in the automotive industry, putting more control in the hands of consumers who are looking to buy and sell vehicles without the help of traditional dealerships. Carlypso is a web-based platform that car owners can use to unload used vehicles through convenient private sales.

Dealership trade-ins are a notorious rip off, however selling a vehicle through Craigslist, and other online classifieds platforms, is too risky for many consumers. Carlypso provides a third alternative, helping to sell your vehicle with as much transparency as possible. Enter your vehicle’s details into Carlypso, and the platform will tell you the fair market price. If you agree to that price, Carlypso will handle the rest of the sales process. The company will send out an inspection mechanic, who will attach a device to your car and evaluate its quality. Carlypso will also schedule test drives with potential buyers while you’re at home, and the company will handle all communication with any buyers who are interested in making a deal.

If a buyer makes an offer on your vehicle through Carlypso, the company’s escrow partner will collect the cash and transfer the title. This serves as a great assurance both for you, as the seller, as well as the buyer. Finally, Carlypso will send a cab to pick you up if you need a ride back home after completing the sale of your vehicle.

Practical Uses:

• Find out the fair market value of your vehicle
• Sell your used vehicle to a private buyer
• Use an escrow company when finalizing the financial transaction
• Avoid having to deal with people who make lowball offers

Insider Tips:

• Carlypso will send a photographer to a seller’s home to take photos of a car
• Sellers are asked to remove personal belongings from cars so they’re ready to sell
• Buyers can schedule test drives from home, work, or anywhere else they choose
• Carlypso will send an Uber to pick up people who’ve sold their cars away from home

What we liked:

• Carlypso decreases the hassle associated with selling a used car
• Sellers get the money of a private sale, but without all the effort
• Car buyers get more assurances that they’re buying quality vehicles
• Carlypso sends its own mechanics to evaluate sellers’ vehicles

What we didn’t like:

• Carlypso charges sellers a minimum fee of $400
• Whether Carlypso is successful will depend on how many people use its marketplace

Alternatives:

• None

Company Info:

• Launched: 2014
• Privately Held
• Headquarters: San Carlos, California
• Founded by: Christopher Coleman
• Web site: http://www.carlypso.com

Costs:

• 5% of the selling price, with a $400 minimum fee