My thoughts after the announcement. - Car Pro Show Host Jerry Reynolds
Hertz Car Sales is launching used car sales on Amazon Autos. The rental car giant says it will give its customers a faster, more convenient way to buy their new car online, citing the convenience of Amazon’s shopping and checkout experience. It says shoppers can browse, finance, and purchase from a selection of thousands of high-quality pre-owned vehicles.
The rental car company calls its new Amazon Autos collaboration a significant step in its broader transformation strategy, which includes forging innovative technology partnerships to provide a more seamless customer experience.
“Our goal is to reimagine the car-buying experience and meet customers where they are – whether online or in person – with convenience, confidence and scale,” said Jeff Adams, Executive Vice President of Hertz Car Sales. “Amazon Autos is the ideal partner to help us deliver on this as customers can shop our expansive inventory of high-quality used cars on the same trusted marketplace where millions shop every day.”
As Amazon Autos’ first fleet dealer, Hertz Car Sales says it is expanding the available inventory on Amazon Autos to offer a wider selection of well-maintained vehicles from trusted brands like Ford, Toyota, Chevrolet, Nissan, and more. Customers can now browse Hertz Car Sales listings on Amazon Autos, complete their purchase online, and pick up their vehicle at Hertz Car Sales locations. This will initially begin in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Seattle, with plans to expand to Hertz Car Sales’ 45 locations nationwide. (A Hertz Car Sales search on Amazon Autos will show customers vehicles within a 75 mile area. )
“We’re excited for Hertz Car Sales to join the hundreds of franchised dealers in our store, bringing thousands of additional vehicles for customers to choose from,” said Fan Jin, Global Head of Amazon Autos. “This collaboration allows us to offer an expanded selection of well-maintained vehicles from more dealerships across the country, while maintaining the simplicity that customers expect from Amazon.”
Hertz, one of the world’s leading rental car companies, is also one of the largest used car dealers. The company says it sells thousands of vehicles each year. Hertz says joining Amazon Autos aligns with its strategy to expand its digital retail presence and make its extensive inventory of well-maintained used vehicles more accessible to customers nationwide, both online and at Hertz Car Sales locations.
Hertz cites these benefits of purchasing a Hertz used vehicle on Amazon Autos:
• Thousands of quality pre-owned vehicles at competitive prices, often below Kelley Blue Book Suggested Retail Value
• Hertz Certified vehicles undergo a rigorous 115-point inspection
• Vehicles are backed by a 12-month/12,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, 24-hour roadside assistance, and a 7-day/250-mile buy-back guarantee*
• Flexible financing options from top lenders
• Detailed vehicle history and condition reports
• Seamless online purchase experience with e-signature and pickup scheduling
Car Pro Show host Jerry Reynolds shares his thoughts below:
This is a huge nothing-burger in my opinion. They want you to think you can just order up a Hertz car to purchase, and it will be on your front purchase the same day as if you are a Prime member ordering soft drinks. But no, in reality, this is just another way to list cars for sale, like AutoTrader, Cars.com, etc.
You are still going to go to a Hertz Car Sales location, you’ll still need to drive and inspect the vehicle, and you’ll have to haggle over your trade value. You can do some of the paperwork online and they offer a 3-day EXCHANGE policy.
If you are looking for the magic Amazon experience, this is not it. It is just a clever way to sell cars.
- Car Pro Show host Jerry Reynolds
Photo: Hertz/Amazon