Tesla’s experimentation with home delivery should come as no surprise, given the company’s approach to retailing has been somewhat unique from the beginning. It’s flouted the franchise dealership model and sold cars direct to consumers, which allows Musk more flexibility to try something different.
“Customers desperately want an easier buying process with at-home delivery,” said Michelle Krebs, an analyst at car-shopping researcher Autotrader. “Elon Musk is spot-on with consumer desires.”
While a number of questions remain about Tesla Direct — including how cost-efficient and scalable it’s been — interviews with customers who’ve used the service yielded some clues to how it works. They describe taking delivery either from a flatbed truck driver or a specialist who gets behind the wheel personally and drops the car off in a driveway or office parking lot. The specialist then hails a ride back to a Tesla facility.
In the days leading up to the quarterly sales…
