Inventory Acquisition Archives | vAuto

vAuto Quarterly Quick-Takes: An “Up and Down” Retail Automotive Market in Q2 2025

In this vAuto Quarterly Quick-Takes video, strategic planning director Bethany Johnson summarizes key take-aways from Q2, which saw a series of ups and downs across new and used vehicle departments for dealers. Get pointers to help you turn a new vehicle bright spot—improving trade-in equity—to your advantage to address slow-moving inventory; diversify your used vehicle […]

How York Automotive Establishes, Executes its Used Vehicle Inventory Strategy

5 Key Opportunities for Any Dealer Group

In this vAuto podcast, vAuto’s Senior Director of Customer Program Management, Dan Winchester, addresses five performance improvement opportunities for groups. The opportunities flow from his work advising dealer groups on ways to improve their businesses. The specific opportunities include ways to bring more consistency to appraisals across group rooftops; how to ensure each vehicle retails […]

Blog Post

From the Service Drive to the Sales Lot: Why Dealers Must Rethink Vehicle Sourcing Now

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years working at dealerships and with dealers across the country, it’s this: the best opportunities are often right under your nose. And right now, that opportunity is sitting in your service drive. At the recent Fixed OPS Roundtable, I had the chance to speak alongside Micah Tindor […]

Video

Driving Dealer Success: Strategies for Sourcing Inventory in a Shifting Market

In this dynamic panel from the Fixed OPS Roundtable, Micah Tindor and Patrick Janes of Cox Automotive join Ted Ings and Sarah Vantine to explore how dealerships can thrive amid rising tariffs and affordability challenges. Learn how to turn your service drive into a high-value inventory source, align fixed and variable operations, and leverage integrated […]

Quarterly Quick-Takes: A Torrent of Tariff-spurred Sales in Q1 2025

Blog Post

Automotive Tariffs: How Dealers Can Optimize Inventory and Profit

In the ever-evolving automotive industry, tariffs have emerged as a significant disruptor, influencing both new and used car markets. As we navigate these turbulent times, understanding the key factors that affect inventory availability and profitability is crucial for dealers. This article delves into the complexities of automotive tariffs and their effects on new and used […]

Blog Post

The Power of Precision: Why Your Appraisal Accuracy Matters More Than Ever | vAuto

For automotive dealerships, appraisals are more than a routine step in acquiring inventory. They are a pivotal touchpoint that directly drives your potential profitability for a vehicle, your operational efficiency and customer trust. Yet, the industry faces a common challenge—too often, appraisals remain inconsistent, subjective, and detached from measurable strategy. It’s like every appraiser does […]

eBook

Avoid the Weight of Aging New Cars eBook

The new car side of your business has likely seen big swings in the past several years. You went from losing money on new car sales to selling some cars over MSRP for unprecedented profit. That was fun while it lasted. But now, market conditions are swinging again, causing the issue of new car aging. […]

Blog Post

Elevating Your Game: The Art and Science of an Optimal Inventory Mix

Elevating Your Inventory: The Art of Acquiring Used Vehicles Managing a car dealership is a complex balancing act, especially when it comes to inventory management. The constant fluctuation in demand, supply shortages, and market trends often leave dealers struggling to find that elusive “right mix” of vehicles on their lot. Too much inventory can lead […]