Wyper Uses Tinder-Like Swipe For Car Buying

Among the “Tinder of X” ventures, the latest to join the race is a car buying app called Wyper, which allows users to swipe left and right until they find their perfect match.

Behind the app’s simplistic design lies an algorithm that does more than allow users to swipe their way through its database. “It’s not just swipeability that makes it powerful,” said the app’s creator, Aaron Rosenthal. “There are really powerful analytics a click away.”

The algorithm goes beyond the search filters that a user has set to include more details, including color, body type and model. The more a user uses the app, the better the algorithm learns about their preferences, TechCrunch reported.

For instance, once the app’s algorithm realizes that a user tends to dislike convertibles or a particular color, then it will automatically adjust itself to narrow down the searches and provide smarter options.

So far, the app has been in beta testing for only a week and is already getting quite a good amount of traction with over a 100,000 swipes recorded. “We had the ‘Tinder for cars’ part done a year ago,” Rosenthal said, “but we had to do better than competition.”

And when a user finally does swipe something right and is looking for a meet-and-greet, the app enables it by letting the user call the dealership or seller through the app’s caller ID masking service. The Wyper 800 number helps protect a user’s identity and prevents the user from being bothered with unwanted solicitation calls and emails.

The search for the perfect match, though, doesn’t limit the user to the options in the area. Rosenthal told TechCrunch that the database pulls options from all over the country, should a user be open to getting the car shipped to them.

For now, the app’s business model is focusing on opening up the communication channel between buyers and suppliers and monetizing it by charging the dealers a fee, instead of charging the users. “The best benefit is giving the users as many tools as possible for free and building a communication net for dealers and consumers,” Rosenthal said.