The used car business moves fast, and your time matters. Every hour spent away from the dealership is an hour you’re not closing deals or planning your next inventory move.
That is why more dealers are rethinking how they source and sell wholesale inventory. Instead of spending a full day traveling to a physical auction, waiting for the right lane to open and hoping the right vehicles show up, many are building a stronger vehicle-sourcing strategy by switching to digital auctions. The numbers back it up. According to a recent JPMorgan survey, 64% of franchise dealerships now prefer digital-only auctions, up from 50% last year.
With OPENLANE’s digital wholesale marketplace, dealers can evaluate nationwide wholesale inventory, review detailed condition information and keep their sourcing process moving without putting the rest of the dealership on hold.
Here is how moving more of your wholesale buying online can help you protect your time, source with more confidence and make smarter inventory decisions.
Sourcing Beyond Your Local Market
Physical auctions limit you to the vehicles available in one place at one time. When local supply is tight, or prices don’t support your margins, your options narrow quickly.
With OPENLANE, you can source inventory locally or nationwide — including off-lease, dealer trades, rental fleet vehicles and more — giving you access to the industry’s fastest growing wholesale marketplace. Many vehicles are available earlier in the remarketing cycle, helping you secure inventory before it reaches the auction lane and before local competitors have a chance to bid.
That broader selection makes it easier to find the right vehicles for your market, whether you’re looking for specific makes, trims, mileage or price points.
Better Condition Information Helps You Buy With Confidence
Some dealers still believe they need to be physically present to understand a vehicle’s condition. But a quick walkaround in a busy lane can make it easy to miss issues that impact reconditioning costs and profitability.
OPENLANE helps you buy with greater confidence through AI-enhanced condition reports backed by experienced human inspectors. Each report includes 25+ vehicle photos, inspector test-drive notes, engine audio analysis, OBD-II diagnostic insights and AI-enhanced damage detection, all supported by human inspection.
With more transparent vehicle information before you bid, you can better estimate reconditioning costs, make more informed buying decisions and avoid buying blind.
Buyer Protections Help Reduce Risk
One of the biggest concerns dealers have about buying online is uncertainty. What if the vehicle isn’t what you expected? While dealers sell more and more as-is vehicles on other platforms, on OPENLANE, about 93% of vehicles have some form of arbitration coverage.
Combine that with OPENLANE’s powerful Buyback Guarantee* to create even more confidence. Eligible franchise dealer purchases are backed by Buyback Guarantee, so if you’re not happy with the vehicle, we’ll take it back — no questions asked*.
That means you can spend less time worrying about risk and more time sourcing the right inventory.
Turn Your Cars Into More Cash, Fast
It’s not just easy to source inventory digitally; it’s also a breeze to sell on OPENLANE. OPENLANE’s marketplace drives more views, more bids and better outcomes to its dealers.
Need a car off your lot quick? The average vehicle sells in less than one day on the OPENLANE marketplace, with 80% of vehicles selling outside of the seller’s region.
Want to make sure a car stays off your lot for good? Seller Guard is OPENLANE’s powerful seller protection, meaning you won’t have to deal with arbitrations for nearly all the vehicles you sell.
All of that adds up to a better wholesale experience for both buyers and sellers. There’s never been a better time to let OPENLANE make wholesale easy for you. AADA dealers receive $2,500 in buy or sale fee credits when they sign up. To get started, sign up today at openlane.com/aada.
*Private buying terms and conditions apply.
