Dive Brief:
- Ford Motor Co. is joining Hyundai in selling its vehicles on the Amazon Autos online car-shopping platform, the automaker announced in a Nov. 17 press release.
- Customers can browse a participating dealer’s inventory of Ford Blue Advantage CPO vehicles within a 75-mile radius on Amazon Autos, apply for financing, complete the purchase paperwork online, then arrange for in-person pickup.
- The online car-shopping program is now live in Los Angeles, Seattle and Dallas, with plans to expand to additional cities in the coming months. In addition, all CPO Ford vehicles offered on Amazon Autos will come with a money-back guarantee, allowing a customer to return it within 14 days or 1,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Dive Insight:
Ford’s collaboration with Amazon Autos comes as more car-shoppers expect an omnichannel buying experience that includes a mix of both online and in-person sales activities. The online platform also serves as a valuable digital sales channel for dealerships to reach more customers in addition to their own websites.
Ford dealers selling inventory on Amazon Autos still maintain relationships with customers by handling pricing and vehicle pickups, as well as all future service needs. The Amazon Autos platform simply facilitates the initial online transaction, per the release.
Although the partnership with Amazon Autos is new, Ford says that initial dealer sign-ups have been positive, with around 20 already launched or launching soon, and another 160 to 180 dealers expressing interest in the program.
The automaker is offering three tiers of Ford Blue Advantage CPO vehicles on Amazon Autos, “Gold Certified,” “Blue Certified” and “EV Certified.” All used Ford vehicles come with a manufacturer-backed warranty and roadside assistance.
Gold Certified used vehicles listed on Amazon Autos are less than six years old and have less than 80,000 miles. These vehicles also undergo a 172-point inspection and come with a 12 month/12,000-mile limited warranty.
Blue Certified vehicles are less than 10 years old and have fewer than 150,000 miles. These vehicles undergo a 139-point inspection and come with a 90-day/4,000-mile limited warranty. EV Certified models are up to six years old with fewer than 80,000 miles and come with the same warranty as Gold Certified vehicles. Ford’s EV Certified models also undergo a specialized 127-point inspection.
Ford joins Hyundai in listing its vehicles for sale on Amazon Autos. The e-commerce company announced its retail partnership with Hyundai in December 2024, offering new vehicles in 48 U.S. cities, making Hyundai the first automaker to sell new vehicles on Amazon Autos when the program launched in early January.
Since then, Hyundai has expanded the partnership with Amazon Autos to 130 U.S. cities, Fan Jin, director and GM of Amazon Autos, confirmed to WardsAuto in August when the company announced that participating Hyundai dealers were adding used and certified pre-owned Hyundai and other pre-owned brands to the platform.
In October, Amazon Autos expanded its used vehicle financing options with the addition of three major lenders — Chase, Santander and Wells Fargo. The company said it plans to add more lenders and additional options for customers purchasing new vehicles on platform in the coming months.
Ford is currently gathering feedback from its dealers and said it will share more insights as the program with Amazon Autos expands.
