Ride-hailing platform Ola has announced the launch of its vehicle commerce platform that will enable customers to buy new and pre-owned vehicles through the Ola app. And also announced the appointment of former Amazon India and Reliance Trends executive Arun Sirdeshmukh as Chief Executive Officer of Ola Cars.
He brings more than 30 years of experience in the consumer internet, FMCG, retail, and fashion industries. He will oversee the entire sales and distribution, service, marketing, customer support, and go-to-market strategy for the business.
The Bengaluru-based company is also looking at scaling the reach of the platform – Ola Cars – to 100 cities by the next year.
The company said in a statement, “We will begin with pre-owned and, over time, and will open it up for new vehicles from Ola Electric and other automotive brands as well…Starting with 30 cities, Ola Cars will soon scale up to over 100 cities by next year,”
“The new platform will offer a bouquet of services to customers, beginning with purchase, vehicle finance, and insurance, registration, maintenance, including vehicle health diagnostics and service, accessories, and finally, resale of the vehicle back to Ola Cars,” It said in the statement.
“It will be a one-stop-shop for customers looking at hassle-free buying, selling, and managing their cars,” it added. The new platform will compete with players like Droom, CarDekho, and Cars24, among others.
Ola founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal said customers are looking for a new way to buy, service, and sell their vehicles.
“They are no longer satisfied with the archaic retail store mode. They want more transparency and a digital experience. With Ola Cars, we are bringing a completely new experience for buying, selling, and overall ownership for both new and owned vehicles,” he added.
Arun Sirdeshmukh, Chief Executive Officer said with Ola Cars, the company is completely reimagining not just buying and selling but also vehicle finance, insurance, as well as maintenance – end-to-end digital-first experience for customers.
“We have plans to expand aggressively over the next few months across India and international markets and also launch new verticals in this business, including pre-owned two-wheeler and new vehicles,” Arun said. with PTI Inputs
