Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) has taken a fresh step into the evolving world of online car shopping by partnering with Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) to sell its certified pre-owned vehicles through Amazon Autos. This collaboration allows customers to browse, finance, and purchase Ford certified used cars all from the convenience of their phones or computers, before completing pickup at a local dealership. The program is currently live in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Dallas, and will gradually expand to other markets across the U.S.
This move reflects a broader shift in the auto industry toward digital sales channels, where companies seek to blend online efficiency with traditional dealership benefits. Ford is not alone in this effort; Hyundai began selling certified pre-owned cars on Amazon in 2024. Ford’s entry highlights the auto giant’s attempt to modernize the car buying journey and better meet changing buyer expectations.
The Amazon Autos platform gives customers access to participating Ford dealers’ certified pre-owned inventories within a 75-mile radius. Users can filter vehicles by make, model, year, and color, and view detailed information including vehicle history, specifications, and pricing. This level of transparency and convenience helps replicate much of the traditional showroom experience online while removing many of the initial barriers to shopping.
Financing is integrated directly on Amazon’s platform: buyers can apply for credit, start paperwork, and schedule a pickup appointment at their local dealer all within the same interface. This blend of online convenience and in-person interaction aims to free up dealership staff to focus more on the in-person experience, such as answering questions and ensuring customer satisfaction at the point of vehicle handover.
Ford’s certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles available through Amazon come with comprehensive inspections and warranties under the Ford Blue Advantage program. Depending on the certification tier, vehicles undergo from 127 to 172-point inspections and come with warranties ranging from 90 days to 12 months with mileage limits. A notable feature is the 14-day or 1,000-mile money-back guarantee, providing buyers with additional peace of mind and a chance to return a vehicle if it does not meet expectations.
This model places Ford in direct competition with Hyundai, which has managed to establish a significant presence on Amazon Autos over the past year, and other automakers exploring online sales channels. Both companies are leveraging Amazon’s vast customer base and convenient online interface to streamline the complex purchase process typical of used car sales.
From a strategic perspective, Ford’s alliance with Amazon fits its broader aim to adapt to shifts in consumer behavior and retail technology. By offering a hybrid approach that blends digital convenience with local dealership service, Ford hopes to capture a segment of buyers who prefer shopping online but still value the reassurance of physical dealer interaction.
There are also economic implications: the program supports dealers by opening a new digital channel to showcase inventory to millions of Amazon customers while leaving critical aspects such as pricing, vehicle delivery, and customer relationships in dealer hands. This balance could enhance dealer viability as the automotive retail landscape changes.
The initial markets, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Dallas, are large urban areas with tech-savvy consumers likely to adopt online car buying. The phased rollout allows Ford and Amazon to refine the experience before scaling nationally, signaling a longer-term vision toward integrating digital solutions with traditional automotive retail.
Ultimately, the Ford-Amazon partnership points to a future where car buying is less tied to physical dealerships and more integrated with the convenience customers expect from other online shopping experiences. This change aligns with broader retail trends emphasizing transparency, customer control over purchasing steps, and digital-first processes, helping the automotive industry meet evolving consumer demands without losing the benefits of local dealer expertise.
Ford has chosen to position itself at the forefront of this consumer-driven shift, applying logistics, inspection rigor, and dealer collaboration to a model where buyers enjoy the reassurance of certification and warranties combined with the accessibility and simplicity of digital shopping. As the program grows, it will be interesting to watch how both buyer habits and dealer roles continue to evolve in this new hybrid sales environment.
