During the height of the pandemic, The Blue Oval launched the new Blue Advantage program, which is centered around offering customers certified pre-owned vehicles that have undergone extensive checks and are sold with robust warranties by Ford dealers. This program proved quite popular during a time when it was difficult to find new vehicles of any kind, and as such, it has expanded on several occasions as of late. However, the used vehicle market is a competitive one, and now, it looks like Amazon is set to join that fray, too.
According to Automotive News, Amazon is indeed eyeing the used vehicle market as a natural next-step as it continues to refine its new car shopping program. Fan Jin, director of Amazon Autos, recently revealed that the online retail giant will be “getting into used cars soon,” mere months after it expanded its new Hyundai sales program to a public beta at the conclusion of 2024. Currently, that program is live in 68 markets, and continues to grow at a rapid pace, with a focus on helping dealers move as much inventory as possible.
“We’re adding more dealers, and we’re excited to add not just new inventory for those dealers, but also used inventory,” Jin said. “That’s really our next biggest milestone. Our focus is really on dealers and how we serve the whole dealer – all that they want to sell in the way that they want to sell them. We see ourselves as providing this channel for dealers for a fully e-commerce transaction. Demographic customer data tells us that more and more customers are comfortable with a fully online car transaction. They may start online, then go to the dealer to look and have a test drive, then come back, think about it, and then finish the purchase online.”
If nothing else, this new Amazon used vehicle platform could provide some assistance to Ford dealers looking to offload used inventory, even though it’s also a direct rival to Blue Advantage in some ways. In that realm, quite a few Blue Oval used models routinely rank as the most popular on the market, including the Ford Escape, the Ford F-150, and the Ford Explorer.
Comments
Oh, please. The dramatics over this are hysterical. I’d NEVER completely buy a new vehicle online and would NEVER buy a used one online, period. I have to physically see. Same principle as buying some clothes online. Amazon has too much power already and enough is enough.
In 2025, we should be able to completely order and buy a new car online directly from the manufacturer with outlets (dealers) to pick it up and possibly service them. The current dealership model SUCKS and most people absolutely hate it.
I’m with you on used cars.
Agreed. Every vehicle manufacturer should have the ability to customize and purchase online with no middle man/dealer by now. And be totally customizable aswell. I should not have to add on an upgraded stereo just to have foglights, etc. All vehicles should be barebones as a baseline….manual windows, no touchscreens, etc. They’d honestly sell more vehicles if people had options they could afford, and get only what they need.
Lately, it seems like dealers are really scrambling for pre-owned vehicles to sell. I’ve received multiple pleas in the past couple of months. I don’t think this will help their cause.
All Ford dealers have information on their customers, so they should start by sending messages with offers. Many Ford customers are loyal and may buy a second vehicle this way.