A Chicagoland startup is looking to deliver many of the amenities and processes that happen at a dealership but as a platform so consumers can facilitate private sales.

Peer-to-peer marketplace provider Swap Motors this week opened its first Swap Center, a place designed to give consumers a safe location to independently manage all aspects of buying and selling a vehicle themselves.

Located at 4850 Main St. in Skokie, Ill., the Swap Center is the company’s first retail location and evolution of the online platform it launched in 2016. Swap Motors plans to open as many as five locations in Chicagoland in the coming year.

“We started Swap Motors to take the hassle and fear out of selling a used car. Opening Swap Centers is a big part of that mission and what sets Swap Motors apart from other options to buy and sell used cars,” said Alex Johnson, chief executive officer and co-founder of Swap Motors.

“Consumers often forgo the savings of selling their car themselves, because they are overwhelmed by the process and have safety concerns when it comes to transacting with strangers,” Johnson continued. “Through our new Swap Center, we are excited to provide a safe alternative where consumers can confidently manage the entire process and keep more money in their pocket.”

The new location is a model for future retail outlets to provide an extension of the services Swap Motors delivers online including:

• Quick drive-in evaluations for sellers: Consumers interested in selling their vehicle can visit the Swap Center for a multipoint car evaluation to set a fair listing vehicle price.  

• Vehicle listing service: Swap Motors can create a professional quality digital listing with high-definition vehicle photos and videos that will be posted on Swap Motors website and numerous online classified sites to attract buyers. 

• Safe test-drive locations: Sellers and buyers can safely meet at the Swap Center for test-drives, making parking lot meetups a thing of the past.

• Simple way to close the deal: Buyers and sellers can avoid the confusion of where, when and how to complete the transaction by simply scheduling a time to close the deal at a Swap Center.

• End-to-end assistance: Swap Motors’ team of specialists can guide both sellers and buyers through the paperwork, title transfer and payment process. Swap Motors also assists buyers with financing, insurance and extended warranties.

“While online technology plays a core role in our product, the addition of retail locations where car shoppers can physically kick the tires and complete a sale is key to our model,” said Sanjay Patel, co-founder and head of product and technology.

“Unlike traditional online classifieds, we are giving buyers and sellers the tools and support they need to complete the sales process,” Patel continued. “We are putting all the conveniences of a car dealership directly in their hands without the used-car salesman.”

More information about Swap Motors can be found at www.swapmotors.com.