Toby Russell thinks nothing is more stressful than buying a new or even a used car. With new car buying stuck in the analog age of the 1960s, Russell and his friend George Arison set out to create a new platform.
Shift.Com was founded in 2014. The company operates an online marketplace where clients can shop for a used car or sell their car online.
Russell believes that buying or selling a car has many obstacles that using an online marketplace removes, such as women being ripped off or men feeling less than adequate because they don’t want to buy a huge truck or if they can’t buy a top of the line model.
Buyers and sellers never meet. Buyers see a car, they ask a Shift.Com employee to bring them the car so they can test drive it and look it over. If they want to buy it, the employee has a tablet with financing options or a platform is available to pay from the seller’s bank. If the client doesn’t want the car, it is returned to stock.
Clients can also get a manufacturer-style, like-new warranty. There are multiple lending options and a totally transparent price. There’s no negotiation, no haggling, and clients can do it from their driveway, work, or wherever they would like to meet.
In February 2023, the company announced that it would close all east coast stores that came with its merger of CarLotz. The store leases, inventory, and related assets in Richmond, VA, Charlottesville, VA, and Tampa, FL, will be assumed by a local dealership group. The stores in Midlothian, VA, Charlotte, NC, and Greensboro, NC will be closed, effective today.
Shift.Com maintains a corporate office building in San Francisco, California.
Toby Russell thinks nothing is more stressful than buying a new or even a used car. With new car buying stuck in the analog age of the 1960s, Russell and his friend George Arison set out to create a new platform.
Shift.Com was founded in 2014. The company operates an online marketplace where clients can shop for a used car or sell their car online.
Russell believes that buying or selling a car has many obstacles that using an online marketplace removes, such as women being ripped off or men feeling less than adequate because they don’t want to buy a huge truck or if they can’t buy a top of the line model.
History
Buyers and sellers never meet. Buyers see a car, they ask a Shift.Com employee to bring them the car so they can test drive it and look it over. If they want to buy it, the employee has a tablet with financing options or a platform is available to pay from the seller’s bank. If the client doesn’t want the car, it is returned to stock.
Clients can also get a manufacturer-style, like-new warranty. There are multiple lending options and a totally transparent price. There’s no negotiation, no haggling, and clients can do it from their driveway, work, or wherever they would like to meet.
In February 2023, the company announced that it would close all east coast stores that came with its merger of CarLotz. The store leases, inventory, and related assets in Richmond, VA, Charlottesville, VA, and Tampa, FL, will be assumed by a local dealership group. The stores in Midlothian, VA, Charlotte, NC, and Greensboro, NC will be closed, effective today.
Shift.Com maintains a corporate office building in San Francisco, California.
I attempted to buy a car from shift and did not have a great experience.
Two days ago, I called shift to check on availability of a particular car. I was told that it was no longer there. I then told the rep that it was on the website. He then somehow found it. Strike one.
I stopped y the location to take a quick look. I determined that I wanted to come back the next day to drive it etc. the salesperson asked if I would be purchasing outright or setting up a loan. I told her I’d be buying outright. Nothing more was told to me.
The next day I called to tell the salesperson that I was on my way. We briefly discussed the car and the return policy. I even spoke with a “business manager.” When I arrived, I determined that they brought the wrong car out. Sloppy strike two.
I drove the car. Liked it. Set up an inspection at my trusted shop and went in to complete the paperwork. It was at that moment I earned about the service fee. The one that’s buried way down on the car listing page tucked in with registration and license fees and tax. Strike three.
When I asked about it, the response was, didn’t anybody tell you? Strike four.
I left the place without purchasing as I feel that the list price is misleading. I’ve bought and sold many cars throughout the years. Aside from registration, license and tax, never had I come across a service fee which actually raises the price of the car.
On top of that, when I got home and looked it up again, I also found that there are two prices: one price, the listed price, is set as if you are going to take a loan and make payments. The other lower price is for those buying outright. Even though I said I was buying outright, I was not given that lower price. Strike five.
If you are going to purchase from Shift, be aware of everything before you get there.
Purchased a car from shift , Car was in horrible shape, also car didn’t pass inspection but shift lied and said it did. Shift offered for me to take car to mechanic of their choice, I did and yes they also confirmed that shift indeed lied about inspection, shift denied the repairs and asked to have car delivered back to dealership. Car has been there since October 3rd 2022 i was told car would be repaired and i would be reimbursed for auto loan and rental fees. Shift has been screening my calls won’t reply to emails or anything!!!
I purchased a car through the Austin Texas location and I paid cash for the car. I was in a hurry to get a car and was told that since I was paying cash I could pick the car up the next day. This is why I chose a car locally. Nope. FFWD to the next week and finally I can pick the car up. I arrive late and they still haven’t even cleaned the car… mind you they have known I was coming for a week. The car has a dash light illuminated, a broken tailgate and a few other broken items. SHIFT agrees to repair all of the above at a service center and we schedule the repairs. I drive home in the car. EVERYONE at ALL of the Texas locations was fired the following business day and SHIFT backs out of the Texas market. I’ve been trying to get corporate to honor these repairs and all I am getting is more unpaid time of work running around trying to get quotes so SHIFT can reject the quotes and ask for more information and threaten to not fix my vehicle. This is a disaster. I sure hope someone filed my registration! Oi vey.
Horrible experience!!! Just wanted to sell my car. First they cancelled my first appointment , which was the only one to choose from on the site where they could come to me. I work full time, sometimes 10 hour shifts at work. I told them from the beginning the car runs, great exterior, interior is great too, just needs transmission repairs! Finally contacted someone to reschedule! They come out, and no notes where made about the transmission!!! So no deal! And guess what?!?! One of the concierge left his backpack in my car!!! So now I have to schedule my time for him to come get it!!! Waste of my time!!!
Picking the car out was a cinch. After that, nothing but problems. The day after my wife drove it off the lot the vehicle overheated. Shift came and got it, provided a rental, and then went radio silent. It’s been a month and all we know is it was towed from Dallas to San Antonio and then back to Dallas. It’s not fixed. They don’t know where it is. The weird thing is it’s still under warranty. My wife has her first payment due and has not seen the vehicle in almost a month. I suggest staying away from this company at all costs. They also sent new plates when we requested a plate transfer. They did say a reimbursement check for the additional registration would be sent but that is also two weeks old now.
I bought a car (which doesn’t match the one I bought online, different interior and mileage) which I got a nasty note from DMV saying the registration can’t be completed waiting for posting fees. If I drive or park it on the street it can be impounded. I have contacted the customer service people over 2 weeks ago with promises of being contacted when this is resolved. Nothing has happened and I can’t speak to anyone else. I have come to understand that your customer service can’t even call the DMV department, online only. What? I am on the phone again with your group looking for resolution. Now I am being told that they are waiting on a document 5 months later after selling me a vehicle that can’t be registered until then. So bottom line you sent me an unregistered vehicle to drive on the highway. Brilliant! If the car gets impounded you will pay the ticket and impounded fees but I won’t have anything to drive because it wouldn’t be released without current registration. If paying my ticket were to go as slow as registering I won’t see the car until summer next year. I have been promised an answer in 24 hours. If this is not resolved in 24 hours I am going to DMV and discuss the delivery of a vehicle without proper registration. Let’s see, I believe this a violation or 2 and/or illegal? Having been in the car business in the past I have a little insight on this.
Hi Stephanie,
Did anyone at Shift ever reply to?
I had a bad experience trying to sell Shift my car. They would not accept my car title with 2 names, mine and my deceased spouse. They said your policy was not to accept such titles. I explained DMV had said it was a legal title as I had a death certificate to show. I was not informed of your policy until the end of 2 hours. Contact with acquisitions was unsuccessful in explaining my case. I was told I couldn’t make contact with any other employee because I had said the policy was discriminatory and might be cause for legal action. I think these employees need more training in policies and customer relations.